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Dental Nightmare: Woman Put Under, Forgotten
CBS ^ | Apr 22, 2008 | Cindy Hsu

Posted on 04/22/2008 10:37:44 AM PDT by kingattax

Oral Surgery Goes Awry As Patient Given Anesthesia And Then Left In Building While Employees Lock Up And Leave---

BROOKLYN (CBS) For most, going in to get a wisdom tooth pulled is already a nightmare scenario. So imagine going in to get a wisdom tooth pulled, and then being locked inside the dental office and forgotten by the staff.

CBS 2 HD has learned a lot more about these shocking, real-life allegations.

Ramona Mercado says she was hysterical after waking up from general anesthesia all alone at the Oral Surgery and Implant Center in Williamsburg.

"Terrified, I was hyper ventilating," Mercado said. "I threw up a couple of times from over exhaustion of crying.

"No one in the office, everything was closed all the lights were off."

Mercado says from inside she called the service that referred her to this place, and they called 911 to get her out.

"The police officers came, they snipped the locks off," Mercado said. "They were the ones who opened up the door and let me out."

Mercado, a mother of two small children, says she was locked in the Oral Surgery Center for about 40 minutes and even saw her dental file left on the desk. She says the recovery room was a walk-in space with no door, so she can't understand how the staff didn't see her.

"I never got a chance to sign myself off to be discharged out, so I don't know if they were waiting for me to wake-up or they just forgot," she said. "I assume they really forgot, forgot about me."

She's now suing for medical malpractice. Her lawyer says even his colleagues find the story amazing.

"They thought it was so outrageous, they wouldn't even believe it, and unless I told them that the police had to come there and break the door down to get them out," John Kouroupas said.

"People now realize that something this crazy can happen to someone."

Needless to say, Mercado has soured on the whole surgery idea.

"I will not get anesthesia again," she said. "I don't care what procedure I have to go through, I just have to suffer through the pain."

CBS 2 HD contacted Mercado's doctor at the Oral Surgery and Implant Center for a comment, but received no response.


TOPICS: News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: dentist; sedationdentistry
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To: Jeff Chandler
What a drama queen: They left me in a building, so they owe me MILLIONS and MILLIONS of dollars.

Actually ... being put under general anaesthesia is serious business. I've known folks who either have died, or nearly died, under anaesthesia because something went wrong.

If the folks in that office are so negligent as to leave a patient in that condition, they deserve to be slapped hard.

Of course, we have to take the "IF" part of that comment pretty seriously.

61 posted on 04/22/2008 11:25:20 AM PDT by r9etb
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To: theDentist
Mine awaken with all organs... not necessarily the ones they came in with....

Doc, I seem to have gained some weight when I was in your office .... and my pants don't fit right anymore.

62 posted on 04/22/2008 11:27:14 AM PDT by r9etb
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To: Moose4

I have to have my lower, right wisdom tooth extracted, and I’m not looking forward to it at all.


63 posted on 04/22/2008 11:27:24 AM PDT by tumblindice (Thomas Paine: "He who dares not offend cannot be honest.")
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To: Jeff Chandler

I would scare the hell out of some people definitely, and report it to the medical board. But I see no temporary or permanent disability or incapacitation, just a little emotional distress from someone who was obviously a drama queen. No money.

I’ve had a lot of mishaps at a lot of places over the years, but not a thought of lawsuit. Now give me a permenant injury and I’ll be talking to a lawyer.


64 posted on 04/22/2008 11:27:38 AM PDT by antiRepublicrat
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To: Judith Anne

Well, that’s why I asked. I didn’t know.

That guy desered something, this lady left for 40 minutes? Not so sure.


65 posted on 04/22/2008 11:27:43 AM PDT by netmilsmom (I am very mad at Disney. Give me my James Marsden song!!!!!)
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To: netmilsmom

66 posted on 04/22/2008 11:27:45 AM PDT by Lazamataz (Secondhand Aztlan Smoke causes drug addiction obesity in global warming cancer immigrant terrorists.)
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To: murron
You should always bring someone with you in case you are groggy when you come to and need someone to drive you home.

Places around here won't do anesthesia unless someone takes you there and sticks around to take you home.

67 posted on 04/22/2008 11:30:05 AM PDT by antiRepublicrat
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To: Moose4

LOL!

I was joking!


68 posted on 04/22/2008 11:30:11 AM PDT by Shortcake
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To: r9etb
The whole case is whether or not there was permanent damage.

My sister had a knee replaced and was given a double dose of morphine as she recovered. She coded out and had to be revived. They looked into suing but could not prove damage.

I think they should be fined but as Judge Judy says, their mistake is not your windfall.

69 posted on 04/22/2008 11:30:42 AM PDT by netmilsmom (I am very mad at Disney. Give me my James Marsden song!!!!!)
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To: Lazamataz

Oh that is just so cute!


70 posted on 04/22/2008 11:31:26 AM PDT by netmilsmom (I am very mad at Disney. Give me my James Marsden song!!!!!)
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To: r9etb
And they shouldn't. I gave you Mike Moore's can while you were asleep!

Don't worry, it'll fall off natually in a week or so.....

71 posted on 04/22/2008 11:33:29 AM PDT by theDentist (Qwerty ergo typo : I type, therefore I misspelll.)
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To: Shortcake

Oh, I know! My first thought would probably be something semi-coherent like, “wow, the Catholics were right about there being Purgatory after all!”

}:-)4


72 posted on 04/22/2008 11:33:57 AM PDT by Moose4 (http://moosedroppings.wordpress.com -- Because 20 million self-important blogs just aren't enough.)
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To: kingattax; Jeff Chandler; Hegemony Cricket; SmithL; netmilsmom; Disturbin; Moose4; driftdiver

I had almost the exact same thing happen to me back in my college years. Well..... almost exactly. ;)

It was more of a bar than a dentist office and and the anesthesia of choice was whiskey.

But other than that, it was exactly the same ordeal.

I woke up in pitch blackness, stumbled around till I felt a door (out of the bathroom) and found myself locked inside the large college bar I had been celebrating in. First thought was to call the police as quickly as possible before they spotted me first and assumed I was robbing the place.

Thought I would be in trouble, but they called the owner and he came down and was all smiles when he let me out even though it was 4:00 am.

Guess now I know why. Apparently I could have sued him for trauma!

Damn. Too bad the law won’t allow me to sue for something that happened 26 years ago.

;)


73 posted on 04/22/2008 11:36:35 AM PDT by Dr._Joseph_Warren
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To: netmilsmom

Nope, no happy pill. Twelve hours of induced labor where the 9-pound baby did her best Spiderman impersonation and refused to drop down, and my wife wouldn’t dialate enough anyway, and then it was off to surgery. The whole process was pretty hellish, capped off by the baby being whisked off to NICU because they thought she didn’t “pink up” properly. As it turns out, she was fine, and is now a beautiful, crazed, rambunctious, and huge two-year-old girl.

}:-)4


74 posted on 04/22/2008 11:37:13 AM PDT by Moose4 (http://moosedroppings.wordpress.com -- Because 20 million self-important blogs just aren't enough.)
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To: netmilsmom

As others have said on the thread, anytime a patient is “out” or having general sedation for surgery, they have to be monitored every single second. Lots of people wake up in an altered state—some combative (very few, but some) some vomiting uncontrollably, some weeping for no reason, some having difficulty with breathing, some badly disoriented, some just fine.

If I woke up alone after a surgical procedure in a dark office, locked in, completely alone, I do think I’d sue.

This is inexcusable.


75 posted on 04/22/2008 11:38:03 AM PDT by Judith Anne (Don't just do something! Stand there!)
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To: Jeff Chandler

Sounds like an inside job ... :-)


76 posted on 04/22/2008 11:49:15 AM PDT by pierrem15 (Charles Martel: past and future of France)
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To: kingattax

When I have had this procedure I have always had to have someone with me that could drive. The office worker knew exactly who the person was.


77 posted on 04/22/2008 11:49:55 AM PDT by Faith-Hope
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To: Moose4
Sorry for the bad experience. :-(

Mine was better, baby was a “stargazer” (face up) and an elbow stuck up by her ear.

After 11 hours I grabbed my hubby and will all the breath I could muster said, “Get me a section!” (I did 26 hours with the first and wasn't doing THAT again)

I actually chatted with the doctor about my hometown! And I'm glad your little one is fine. The blessing of it all is worth it!

78 posted on 04/22/2008 11:54:02 AM PDT by netmilsmom (I am very mad at Disney. Give me my James Marsden song!!!!!)
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To: Judith Anne

>>If I woke up alone after a surgical procedure in a dark office, locked in, completely alone, I do think I’d sue.<<

I might consider suing to have the office fined but I wouldn’t be looking for millions for my 40 minutes of suffering.

This lady came out fine.

Call 911 then get out and ask for an apology.


79 posted on 04/22/2008 11:56:28 AM PDT by netmilsmom (I am very mad at Disney. Give me my James Marsden song!!!!!)
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To: netmilsmom
Millions does seem excessive. :D
80 posted on 04/22/2008 11:57:48 AM PDT by Judith Anne (Don't just do something! Stand there!)
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