Wednesday, October 18, 2006

Plenty Of Blame To Go Around

Here in Chicago, five year old Diamond Brownridge died after failing to wake up following dental surgery for two root canals. Root canals? Next we'll be hearing about a seven year old who was having a hysterectomy.

An adverse drug reaction, a poorly trained assistant, a dentist who didn't have a license to put people to sleep for dental work -- all of them share blame for her death. But I think there's someone else -- her mother.

What mother would make her five year old child go through the agony of having one root canal in the first place? Nevermind two. And why would any dentist willingly recommend something so painful? Besides the money.

From the beginning I kept asking myself, Why was a small child being subjected to major dental surgery under anesthesia?  She is flat out too young to have to endure something like that.

I read that she had to have the root canals because she was grinding her teeth. Teeth grinding would suggest an anxious child. Another problem entirely. Regardless, dental procedures usually reserved for adults seem entirely unnecessary at that age. Surely there had to be an alternative treatment.

Plus, five year old kids don't have permanent molars -- those are baby teeth.  Just take them out with xylocaine while she's awake if you must. Root canals at five years old? That's absurd. That's abuse.

A trial is going on right now. Today it was revealed that the little girl was given an extra Valium because she was so upset.  No shit she was upset. And the primary reason they said she was so upset -- hysterical -- was because her mother left the room and didn't stay with her. Asshead.

Now it turns out that the girl has an older brother who underwent a similar procedure which required anesthesia, but there was a warning on his chart that he reacted badly to anesthesia. Unfortunately, his sister had a different doctor. So nobody made the possible connection. 

However, the little girl's mother could have mentioned the problem. Actually, she should have mentioned the problem.

But she didn't. Even though she was asked if there was any history.

So far the doctor's license has been pulled. He's fighting to get it back.

The little girl died less than a month ago. Her mother sued the doctor almost as soon as she was in the ground.

Makes you wonder. 

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

You absolutely nailed this.  What a shame that a five year old dies on account of supreme collective stupidity.

Anonymous said...

thats really sad and so unnecessary, makes no sense

Anonymous said...

Now I'm not saying what they did was right but with the Valium...we'll see & review by ADA ethics is needed.

I happened to ask my dad about this last night. Said that the little girl had some other surgery in the spring & they used a large amount of anesthia. Not dental I think & this can cause an allergic reaction the next time. Like poison ivy is something over time. YES! If the bro had a reaction that should have been mentioned & can be genetic then. Mother would be totally at fault then. One friend said that he saw the parents on tv they they were very calm etc & he wondered too! Sad if that is the case.

Anonymous said...

Ok, as a daughter of a Dentist who just retired after 43 yrs I have to chirp in here.

First, 7 yr old getting a root canal. That is not necessarily bad. If it is in a baby tooth yes, but if she already had a permanent tooth then quite possible. You don't want it going bad & having to get a bridge! By the way, some little girls do have to get hysterectomies...all kinds of things do happen when you are young. Cancer, injuries due to car accidents etc.

Now, to my knowledge you just need someone in your office licensed to do the anesthesia. Just like O.R. surgeons don't do the gas, but their is an anathesiologist. That we'd have to check on.  Now if she was under anesthia she would not be in pain.

You can't say that little kids are too young to undergo treatment. There are plenty who have to have surgery for appendix, tonsils (although less today) ear tubes, ETC! It is done when needed.

Tooth Grinding is anxiety but you can ruin your teeth from grinding & damage the nerve due to biting wrong. You can treat with relaxation techniques, mouth guards etc., but it doesn't always work & damage occurs. Now I don't know that they said molars? Did they say that? You can have root canals in front teeth. One of my cousins had horrible decay on his top two & bottom two teeth. Rotted out...genetics (some have from bottles with milk at night but not him) so he had to have at like 3-4 yrs gold crowns other wise no teeth there for years & couldn't eat properly & bite wrong.




Anonymous said...

I never would have put my son through that.  I'd have had the teeth removed.  But, that's me.
Pam

Anonymous said...

NOTE TO PSYCHFUN: You need a fact checker.  

Mrs. L

Anonymous said...

Wow, that is sheer stupidity, the doctor deserves whatever punishment he gets, the parents deserve to receive nothing for their part in this.  Within a year and a half this child would of started to loose the teeth anyway, so why the rush to do this procedure? MOney?? has to be.....Sandi

Anonymous said...

This is a very sad case. Most mothers would mention the possible anesthesia issue to the dentist immediately - if they wanted the dentist to know.

xoxo