A nurse anesthesiologist Rex Meeker is also facing a manslaughter charge, police said. "CRNA Rex Meeker maintains that contrary to claims in the lawsuit and those being made in the media, the complications in Ms. Nguyen's surgery were not related to inappropriate care on his . Dr. Francis Brusino is an anesthesiologist in Raleigh, NC, and is affiliated with multiple hospitals including UNC Rex Hospital . When selecting a surgeon, its not only important to be comfortable with the surgeons technical competence, but also to understand the location where the surgery will occurand the emergency capabilities. She alleged that Kims staff misled her for hours. Meeker finally called 911 more than five hours after Nguyen was first given anesthesia, the familys lawsuit said. Insurance companies love surgery centers over hospitals and so do surgeons who own them. She said her daughter, a graduate of Mountain Range High School, was healthy and had saved up for the $6,000 procedure, which many of her friends and family had undergone before. Didn't he induce her then leave her unmonitored? In fact, after handling hundreds of medical negligence cases over my legal career, Ive only seen one physician face criminal prosecution and a prison sentence. I firmly believe that anesthesia staffing should be part of the informed consent conversation and pre-anesthesia evaluation thats required by the standard of care. According to media reports and the lawsuit, the CRNA administered nine doses of Narcan. and nurse-anesthetist, Rex Meeker, CRNA who caused Emmalyn's catastrophic brain injury on Aug. 1, 2019: that . Rex Meeker Courtesy of the Arapahoe County Sheriff's Office A nurse anesthetist accused of manslaughter turned himself in on Friday, according to the Arapahoe County Sheriff's Office. Colorado plastic surgeon charged after patient, 18, died in botched breast implant surgery Dr Geoffrey Kim and his nurse anesthetist, Rex Meeker, have been charged in the death of Emmalyn. Shes young, shes healthy, shell be okay, its just taking her long to wake up, Nguyens mother, Lynn Fam, told, Nguyen remained in a vegetative state prior to her. It was alleged he induced her and left her unmonitored but that did not actually happen. The anesthesia provider involved, Rex Meeker, became a registered nurse in 1984 and certified registered nurse anesthetist (CRNA) in 1995. sadly, it had the same outcome. What happened to Emmalyn was totally avoidable and inexcusable," Woodruff said. Licenses and Affiliations. Fox News Flash top headlines are here. 2019, after she was placed under anesthesia by nurse anesthetist Rex Meeke. Shes young, shes healthy, shell be okay, its just taking her long to wake up, Nguyens mother, Lynn Fam, told CBS Denver. Rex Meeker, a nurse anesthetist, is also charged with manslaughter and a warrant has been issued for his arrest. Staffers used CPR to try to revive the teen but she never fully regained consciousness. But we all try to stay strong in case she can hear us.". An arrest warrant for . Meeker did not respond to multiple calls and text messages from CBS4 seeking comment. A call and email to an attorney believed to be representing Meeker were also not returned. Dec 20, 2019. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. Dr. Geoffrey Kim, 52, surrendered to the Arapahoe County Sheriff's Office on Wednesday after authorities obtained a warrant for his arrest on charges of first-degree aggravated assault and criminally negligent homicide related to the death of Emmalyn Nguyen, 18 . . Dr. Geoffrey Kim and nurse anesthetist Rex Meeker are accused of failing to call 911 for nearly 5 hours after Emmalyn Nguyen's heart stopped on Aug. 1. All rights reserved. Meeker, on the other hand, was solely charged with manslaughter. He is a former hospital administrator who represents patients and family members in medical negligence and wrongful death lawsuits all over Texas. The lawsuit alleges negligence and contends that during that initial timeframe, Nguyen went into cardiac arrest and was revived when Dr. Kim performed CPR. During discovery in many cases, weve obtained emergency transfer agreements between outpatient surgery centers and hospitals. Nurse anesthetist Rex Meeker, who was also involved in the case, is also facing a charge of reckless manslaughter. "We opened this criminal case in August 2019. WTF. The suit was eventually settled out of court and the terms are confidential. Read his reports or check out his bio & send him an email. "We didn't think anything like that was going to happen to our daughter. and nurse-anesthetist, Rex Meeker, CRNA who caused Emmalyn's catastrophic brain injury on Aug. 1, 2019: that . Lynn Fam says what was supposed to be a two hour procedure stretched late into the afternoon and she kept asking what was happening. of experience in nurse anesthesiology. But authorities said Dr. Kim did not contact emergency personnel to transport Nguyen to a hospital for approximately five hours. He was charged with "reckless manslaughter and first degree . "The motion to dismiss charges against Rex Meeker indicates that prosecution is "no longer in the interests" of justice due to the discovery of new evidence and interviews since the case was filed earlier this year." After 22 days, she was transported to a rehabilitation hospital where she receives around the clock medical care. Anesthesiologists take care of you before, during and after your surgery. A Colorado plastic surgeon who lost an 18-year-old patient during a breast augmentation procedure is behind bars outside Denver on charges of aggravated assault and criminally negligent homicide. I was a teenage girl once before.". In my experience, though, this is exceptionally rare. Example video title will go here for this video. The second nurse found her with her face turned blue and in cardiac arrest. February 17, 2022 / 11:59 PM Her family says she has suffered severe brain damage and will likely remain in this condition for the rest of her life. Our hope is that this will be the beginning of bringing justice and a sense of closure to Emmalyns family. In a statement, the family shared that they are hopeful about "finally getting justice for Emmalyn." However, just before 9 p.m., after another conversation with Kim, the ER doctor reported that Kim said, "Oh, actually, this happened four hours ago," which prompted him to immediately order a CAT scan. Emmalyn Nguyen, 18, underwent the procedure at Dr. Geoffrey Kims Colorado Aesthetics and Plastic Surgery in Greenwood Village on Aug. 1, 2019. 60 shares. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. Facebook gives people the power to share. He was charged with criminally negligent homicide and first-degree aggravated assault, both categorized as felonies. Nguyen, who reportedly saved up $6,000 for the surgery, went into a coma and died 14 months later. Meeker, the nurse anesthetist, was involved in a similar situation in 2007. On February 27, 2020, the Board entered a stipulation and final agency order that placed Dr. Kim on probation. Last summer, her daughter Emmalyn Nguyen, 18, decided to have breast augmentation performed by Greenwood Village doctor Dr. Geoffrey Kim. The mother leans in, just inches from her daughter's face. You may have heard of that surgeon being called Dr. Death in podcasts and on a TV show. Girls high school basketball team forfeits a game because it refused to play against a team with a transgender player, Fox Leaders Wanted to Break From Trump but Struggled to Make It Happen, Not Going to Read That: White House Press Secretary Brushes Off DeSantis Op-Ed, Sunshine returns to SoCal on Thursday but cold temps stick around, Woodstock Photos That Make Us Say Whoa!, Wake-Up Weather: AM showers then mild and breezy, Mexican president says Tesla to build plant in Mexico, Twitter rolls out updated 'zero tolerance' policy on violent speech. The family sued Kim and nurse anesthetist Rex Meeker for negligence. We still haven't been able to get closure from Emmalyn's death. He may not be legally liable at this time, but it certainly looks like he shares at least some of the blame. A warrant has been issued for Meeker's arrest. According to the order, after the CRNA administered anesthesia, the patient went into cardiac arrest and began turning blue. I wonder what really happened. Kim, who reportedly revived Nguyen after her first cardiac arrest, allegedly misled her family into thinking that everything is fine. He said everything is fine, Emmalyn is fine, everything is good. Appointments 216.444.7246. and his NPI number is 1972644979. That disciplinary report indicates that Nguyen went into cardiac arrest around 2:20 p.m. and at one point Meeker recommended to the surgeon that she be transferred to a hospital. The investigation has taken more than two years to complete and involved dozens of interviews and search warrants," Travis Stewart, captain of investigations for the Sheriff's Office, in a statement. One month after the procedure, Paula Harty died. Captain Travis Stewart with the Arapahoe County Sheriff's Office said, "We opened this case in August 2019. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. According to the affidavit, it's unclear how much anesthesia Nguyen was actually given because Meeker's notes in the chart are illegible. Hopefully bringing criminal charges will bring out the truth about what happened and will bring justice for Emmalyn.". Lafayette, CO 80026 (Boulder County). According to the civil lawsuit, the patient was eventually transported to hospital and later died. Colorado Board of Nursing action against the CRNA. I applaud District Attorney John Kellner and Assistant DA Gary Dawson for their courage and tenacity in this investigation and in bringing these charges. Shes young, shes healthy, shell be OK, its just taking her long to wake up.'. Testosterone Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT). David Woodruff Emmalyn Nguyen A 19-year-old woman who was left in a coma for 14 months after a botched breast enhancement surgery has died, according to KDVR. #2. (Emmalyn Nguyen's Family/Arapahoe County Sheriff), Fox News Flash top headlines for February 18. New York Man Protects Baby as Racist Woman Lunges Screaming Racial Slurs, Protesters urge Mayor Adams to stop looming construction of 30-story mega jail in Manhattans Chinatown, Gemma Chan, Henry Golding and More Raising $70K for UK Campaign to Stop Asian Hate, Shanghai woman to donate $1.5 million apartment to the government after getting inspired by Chow Yun-fat, Emmalyn Nguyen, 18, underwent the procedure at Dr. Geoffrey Kims. Kim did not respond to multiple messages left by CBS4, but his attorney, Kari Hershey, told CBS4 "As a physician, Dr. Kim is not at liberty to comment about any specific patient.". Emmalyn Nguyen, left, was 18 when she went into a coma and died after saving up thousands of dollars for breast implants from Dr. Geoffrey Kim. She went into cardiac arrest after being administered anesthesia, fell into a coma, and died 14 months later. Call (602) 795-8710. "At the end of the day, I think theyre glad to see this happening, and its encouraging that the legal system is pursuing this," Woodruff said. I think its best to wait and pass judgement until the surgeons trial reveals more facts but it all seems really strange. Our hope is that this will be the beginning of bringing justice and a sense of closure to Emmalyn's family.". Another assistant anesthesiologist, Rex Meeker, has been captured and charged with murder. Nicholson has covered a variety of beats including suburbs, courts, crime and general assignment. If its LAST and the surgeon is the one who injected it then its the surgeons fault in that case. Nguyen is now in what is known as a "minimally conscious state" -- unable to speak, walk, eat or take care of herself. Posted by TDLCRNA Nurse Anesthesiologist . Kim also is being investigated as a suspect in the death of Nguyen. His conduct was deemed unprofessional. At one point, Kim came out to the waiting room and also told Nguyen's mother she was "fine" but said it was taking longer than expected for her to wake up, the affidavit says. Education. They ruined Emmalyn's life, not just hers but all of ours. Fam says at one point an office staff member even approached her and gave her a reminder card setting up a follow up appointment. COLORADO WOMAN, 18, SEVERELY BRAIN-DAMAGED AFTER BREAST IMPLANT SURGERY GONE WRONG, FAMILY SAYS. December 18, 2019 / 10:57 PM Defendant Meeker, Inc. committed negligent acts and omissions vicariously through its principal and employee, Rex Meeker, such that the acts of Defendant Meeker and Defendant Nguyen's family's lawyer, David Woodruff, alleged that nurse Rex Meeker had left the then-18-year-old unattended for 15 minutes after administering the anesthesia. The office staff also told her that the procedure had never started and would need to be rescheduled. In a prior order from January 2, 2020, the Board noted that the CRNA administered 250 mg of lidocaine with epinephrine and 62.5 mg of bupivacaine. Dr. Kim appeared on KUSA's paid programming Colorado and Company in the past. No clue what really happened intraop obviously as the facts are not known, but to have one off the hook and now testifying against the surgeon is a really bad look. The medical boards order found that Kim performed CPR on Nguyen when there was trouble the day of her surgery, but he failed to contact emergency personnel to take her to a hospital for about five hours. Hopefully bringing criminal charges will bring out the truth about what happened and will bring justice for Emmalyn. Kim, who turned himself in with his attorney, was also released after posting a $5,000 bond. ", "The judicial system cannot bring Emmalyn back, but what it can do is punish the people who caused her death and send a message to the entire medical community that doctors and nurses will be held to the same standard as other people. Travis Stewart, the Arapahoe sheriffs captain of investigations, said in a statement that the criminal investigation opened shortly after the failed surgery and involved dozens of interviews and search warrants. FDA CALLS FOR HIGHLIGHTED BREAST IMPLANT WARNINGS, PATIENT CHECKLIST, "The treatment for a brain injury is to cool the brain within 6 hours to reduce swelling," Woodruff said. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Thanks for contacting us. I have no doubt the plastic surgeon tried strong arming the crna to pump the breaks on calling 911, but the crna isn't subservient to the surgeon, their duty is to the patient not the surgeon, and it was grossly negligent, the blame cannot be solely pinned to one provider, and the one whom was not even doing the anesthesia at that. "It's really hard, it's not easy," said Fam. These should load faster, but AMP is controversial because of concerns over privacy and the Open Web. Aspiring anesthesiologists must first obtain a bachelor's degree before they can begin medical training. I think the family has mixed feelings about this. 102 shares. Location of surgery. He also agreed to never apply for a type of licensure granted by that board. Nguyen suffered severe brain damage and was in a minimally conscious state before she died in October 2020. I do not think it looks bad for CRNAs as a profession or him at all. Meeker was reportedly involved in a similar incident in 2007. When asked if he believed Kim had deliberately misled him, he said he didn't know, but went on to say it "seemed like it had to have been deliberate.". (CBS4) - A Thornton family has filed a lawsuit against a prominent doctor and a nurse anesthetist saying after their daughter suffered two cardiac arrests and brain damage during cosmetic surgery, the medical professionals overseeing her care did not call 911 for more than five hours. Our hope is that this will be the beginning of bringing justice and a sense of closure to Emmalyns family., In a statement, the family shared that they are hopeful about "finally getting justice for Emmalyn. I wonder if we shouldn't write clear notes then so that we can't be found liable too. It looks like OP posted an AMP link. Lynn Fam said a lawsuit won't bring her daughter back but might provide some answers as to what happened. Kieran Nicholson covers breaking news for The Denver Post. You've successfully subscribed to this newsletter! Connect to great care anywhere with My AZ Doc. Legal Statement. Interestingly, the Board order has a section with the heading ONSITE ANESTHESIOLOGIST. It requires that during the duration of Dr. Kims probation, hes only allowed to perform surgical procedures that require general anesthesia and conscious sedation with an anesthesiologist present in on site. "I just had kind of a weird feeling," Nguyens mother, Lynn Fam, told reporters after filing the lawsuit. According to a lawsuit filed by Nguyen's family, she was left unattended for about 15 minutes after Rex Meeker, the nurse anesthetist, administered the anesthesia. She was 18-years-old at the . At a minimum, I recommend that patients and families asked pointed questions about anesthesia staffing before procedure. 14420 W Meeker Blvd Ste 211. The teen was reportedly taken to a nearby hospital - but she was transferred to a rehab hospital to recover 22 days later. An ambulance was sent and Nguyen was transported to Littleton Adventist Hospital. Mr. Rex L. Meeker has 15 years of experience in nurse anesthesiology. The surgery was supposed to take two hours. After receiving anesthesia, she reportedly experienced two cardiac arrests and ended up with brain damage. / CBS Colorado. He turned himself in on Friday but he was released shortly after on an undisclosed bond, as per KDVR. Pain Medicine (Anesthesiology) AZ Pain Doctors. By accepting all cookies, you agree to our use of cookies to deliver and maintain our services and site, improve the quality of Reddit, personalize Reddit content and advertising, and measure the effectiveness of advertising. He said that is something he would have done sooner if he had known she had not been awake for hours, the affidavit says. Emmalyn was totally avoidable and inexcusable, '' Nguyens mother, lynn Fam says at one point an office also. 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