Gilbert, AZ 85233. So all you hear Is the story the prosecutions atty wants you to hear. Meeker is also facing a felony reckless manslaughter charge and turned himself in to authorities on Friday. One month after the procedure, Paula Harty died. Surgeons who own surgery centers get to keep the lucrative facility fees. 1 year ago. She said Kim "would not initially agree" to that and assured staff that Nguyen would wake up "if given some additional time," the affidavit says. He said the most doses he has seen given to reverse anesthetics is two, the affidavit says. (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. 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. "We are glad we are finally getting justice for Emmalyn. This is why we should never judge someone on the attacks of the prosecution in the public. Woodruff also released his own statement: "It is very rare for a prosecutor to bring criminal charges against health care providers. A warrant has likewise been issued for his arrest, though he is not yet in custody. 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. Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist. 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. On Aug. 1, 2019, Nguyen, from Brighton, underwent breast augmentation surgery at Colorado Aesthetic and Plastic Surgery. 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. There was a firehouse in the same parking lot that could have provided help within moments. Nguyen was taken to a hospital before being transferred 22 days later to a rehab center, where she still receives continual care in a minimally conscious state and is unable to speak, walk or eat on her own. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. 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"We didn't think anything like that was going to happen to our daughter. In a . Featured Image via Emmalyn Nguyen's family (left) and CBS Denver (right). Lynn Fam tends to her daughter Emmalyn Nguyen. All Rights Reserved. He told investigators that employees should have recognized they needed help when they got no response from the first dose, according to the affidavit. Rex Lee Meeker, CRNA is Emmelyn Nguyen of Thornton, Colorado was getting breast augmentation when supposedly the plastic surgeon, Dr. Geoffrey Kim, and the CRNA, Rex Meeker, left the operating room with the patient unattended for fifteen minutes. To become an anesthesiologist, you typically need to: 1. FOX31 first reported on Nguyen's condition on Dec. 18, the day her parents filed a lawsuit that names the practice, its owner Dr. Geoffrey Kim, nurse anesthetist Rex Meeker, registered nurse . Nguyen went in for her plastic surgery at Colorado Aesthetic Plastic Surgery on Aug. 1, 2019. 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. In my experience, though, this is exceptionally rare. State medical records show Kim has had no previous disciplinary actions against his medical license. To schedule an appointment with Mr. Rex L. Meeker, please call (303) 641-1162. "In terms of the lawsuit filed against the plastic surgeon, Geoffrey Kim, M.D. 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. The suit was eventually settled out of court and the terms are confidential. Insurance companies pay surgery centers less than hospitals for operating room services. Dr Geoffrey Kim, 52, admitted he didn't call 911 for five hours after Emmalyn Nguyen went into cardiac arrest when she was given anesthesia by nurse Rex Meeker on August 1, 2019. After a two-year investigation, Jeffrey his Dr. Kim surrendered earlier this week and was later released on a $5,000 bond. First published on December 18, 2019 / 10:57 PM. Kim turned himself in to authorities Wednesday and was released on $5,000 bond. Check out what's clicking on Foxnews.com. He turned himself in on Friday but he was released shortly after on an undisclosed bond, as per KDVR. I applaud District Attorney John Kellner and Assistant DA Gary Dawson for their courage and tenacity in this investigation and in bringing these charges. Kim and Rex Meeker, a nurse who has been charged with manslaughter in Nguyen's death, allegedly . I wonder if we shouldn't write clear notes then so that we can't be found liable too. Dr. Geoffrey Kim and former nurse anesthetist Rex Meeker face charges in the death of 18-year-old Emmalyn Nguyen. But you may not have the right to request a physician anesthesiologists care. "That's a really long time," Fam said, referring to the gap between the cardiac arrest and the 911 call. "We opened this criminal case in August 2019. The procedure took place at Kim's Greenwood Village office, Colorado Aesthetics and Plastic Surgery. The surgery was supposed to take two hours. A warrant has been issued for Meeker's arrest. Nguyen, who reportedly saved up $6,000 for the surgery, went into a coma and died 14 months later. Legal Statement. They ruined Emmalyn's life, not just hers but all of ours. We still haven't been able to get closure from Emmalyn's death. Rex Meeker was booked Friday at the Arapahoe County jail on suspicion of manslaughter, a class-four felony, and released, according to the Arapahoe County Sheriff's Office. 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. Nurse anesthetist Rex Meeker, who was also involved in the case, is also facing a charge of reckless manslaughter. But authorities said Dr. Kim did not contact emergency personnel to transport Nguyen to a hospital for approximately five hours. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. The lawsuit states that standard care for anesthesia requires a qualified staff member's ongoing presence to monitor vital signs. Incredibly, according to the Board order, the surgeon didnt call 911 for emergency personnel to transport the patient to the hospital following her systolic arrest for approximately five hours. The Arapahoe County Sheriff's Office said on Wednesday that they obtained arrest warrants for Dr. Geoffrey Kim, 52, and former nurse anesthetist Rex Meeker in. Who makes the best hot chicken sandwich in Denver? For more information, please see our We represented Jerry Summers, who was rendered quadriplegic from operating room and post-operative care of Christopher Duntsch, MD, a/k/a Dr. Death. He turned himself in on Friday but he was released shortly after on an undisclosed bond, as per, We opened this criminal case in August 2019. He added, "It did involve elements of recklessness by the providers involved and they just dont want to see this happen again. Based on my experience, outpatient surgery centers are generally not as prepared to handle emergencies, such as respiratory or cardiac arrest, then the hospital. Connect to great care anywhere with My AZ Doc. First, the anesthesia and procedure were being done at an outpatient surgery center, rather than a hospital. Lynn Fam says what was supposed to be a two hour procedure stretched late into the afternoon and she kept asking what was happening. He said Everything is fine, Emmalyn is fine, everything is good, Fam told KCNC, recalling what Kim told her. 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. "I just had kind of a weird feeling," said Fam. 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.". Pure conjecture: young female, high vagal tone, predisposed to bradycardia, has profound hypotension leading to pulselessness at some point during anesthesia/surgery, CPR/ACLS is done, still minimally . Dr. Kim appeared on KUSA's paid programming Colorado and Company in the past. "But the worst thing is she . We are Medical Malpractice attorneys who believe in hard work, solid resources & respect so we can earn your trust. "She would be alive today if they had done their jobs right.". "It's really hard, it's not easy," said Fam. The defense cannot speak out. That same document though says that a 911 call was not made until 7:35 p.m. and Nguyen never regained consciousness. An anesthesiologist is a medical doctor who specializes in administering anesthesia, the medical treatment that keeps you from feeling pain during procedures or surgery. There are very few criminal cases filed against surgeons for botched operations and it tells us there is something more going on here than just mere negligence, said 9NEWS legal expert Scott Robinson. 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. Meeker was reportedly involved in a similar incident in 2007. Dr. Geoffrey Kim and nurse anesthetist Rex Meeker are accused of failing to call 911 for nearly 5 hours after Emmalyn Nguyens heart stopped on Aug. 1. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. and our Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Meeker agreed to permanently relinquish his certified registered nurse anesthetist (CRNA) in December 2021, while facing discipline from the state board of nursing related to the incident involving Nguyen. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Thanks for contacting us. That worked out well for his defense . A warrant has been issued for Meeker's arrest. "We just want you to go home, we're all waiting for you, OK?". "It puts the patient to sleep much faster, but also greatly increases the risk that they will stop breathing.". Kim and his nurse anesthesiologist Rex Meeker said they did not seek emergency help during the procedure, delaying his hospitalization by nearly five hours. msn back to msn home news Skip To . 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. Reaction score. "In the context of surgery and anesthesia, it means to give a larger dose of anesthesia than the patient would normally get, in relation to age and weight," he told Fox News Digital. or redistributed. 2023 NYP Holdings, Inc. All Rights Reserved, Before TV, Silva sisters were Hooters girls who developed boob greed, I wanted perkier boobs until my implant burst through my chest, Students banned from taking photos of trans teacher with Z-size prosthetic breasts, My husband used my boob job money on his car so I ended my marriage. Lynn Fam tends to her daughter Emmalyn Nguyen. . Her husband filed suit and named Meeker in the legal action saying he had been negligent, failing to properly administer anesthesia and failing to properly monitor Harty's condition during the procedure. Rex L. Meeker, CRNA earned a degree of a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist. The lawsuit was filed in Boulder County Court against Dr. Geoffrey Kim and nurse anesthetist Rex Meeker, the pair who allegedly administered anesthesia before the surgery. She suffered brain damage and is unlikely to return to her previous condition, the lawsuit said. In many cases we have handled, patients and family members have told us that they were unaware of who would be handling anesthesia care in the operating room. I wonder what really happened. ", Even though it will never bring our daughter back, at least this will help others from getting hurt and prevent ruining other families' lives," the family said, according to, . Please enter valid email address to continue. The teen never even made it into surgery. in Greenwood Village on Aug. 1, 2019. Popular News. 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. 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. Ive seen a lot of prosecuting in the public court of this fellow and the guy here in AZ with the dental death. 102 shares. Seven doses of narcan given (although unsure how much whether several different vials or just vials split up into multiple doses. Deputies said Nguyen went in for a surgical procedure at Colorado Aesthetic and Plastic Surgery on Aug. 1, 2019, and went into cardiac arrest after being administered anesthesia. At a minimum, I recommend that patients and families asked pointed questions about anesthesia staffing before procedure. Her family says she has suffered severe brain damage and will likely remain in this condition for the rest of her life. Whether is was LAST or unmonitored care it's negligence. The anesthesia provider involved, Rex Meeker, became a registered nurse in 1984 and certified registered nurse anesthetist (CRNA) in 1995. 13555 W Mcdowell Rd Ste 201. . GREENWOOD VILLAGE, Colo. A Greenwood Village plastic surgeon and former nurse anesthetist who now face charges in the 2020 death of a woman after she was given anesthesia for surgery gave conflicting stories about what happened and appeared to be blaming each other for what went wrong, an arrest affidavit says. According to a 2009 lawsuit filed in that case, Harty suffered low blood pressure and a slow heart rate during the procedure which were unrecognized and led to cardiac arrest and severe brain damage. Fam says at one point an office staff member even approached her and gave her a reminder card setting up a follow up appointment. / CBS Colorado. Authorities said the investigation remained open and active. We still haven't been able to get closure from Emmalyn's death. She reported, according to the affidavit, that the office staff told her that her daughter's heart rate had dropped but that she was "fine.". The Board stated its preference that Dr. Kim perform surgeries in a hospital, rather than officer-based setting, during probation period. If youve been seriously injured because of poor anesthesia or surgical care in Texas, then contact a top-rated experienced Texas medical malpractice lawyer for free consultation about your potential case. After graduating high school, Nguyen decided to get a breast augmentation at Colorado Aesthetics & Plastic Surgery to improve her image, the station reported. Shes young, shes healthy, shell be okay, its just taking her long to wake up, Nguyens mother, Lynn Fam, told CBS Denver. Meeker was the nurse anesthetist. Anesthesiologists are physicians. He started at the Post in 1986, at the old building on 15th and California streets. I don't know how they can sleep at night knowing they did this to her. 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. Not for the "stupid price" of $150 an acre foot. Meeker did not respond to multiple calls and text messages from CBS4 seeking comment. Third, its alleged that the surgeon and CRNA took over five hours to call 911. Meeker is facing a manslaughter charge. If convicted, both could face significant prison time, 9NEWS legal expert Scott Robinson said. She's young, she's healthy, she'll be OK, it's just taking her long to wake up.". Market data provided by Factset. We have significant litigation experience in medical malpractice and brain injury lawsuits. The patient never regained consciousness. She said at various points, staff members misled her about what had occurred. 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