Anesthesiologist who realized IV bags were behind patient emergencies testifies in Dallas doctor's trial
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DALLAS - In the fourth day of testimony in the trial of Dallas doctor Raynaldo Ortiz, jurors heard from the doctor who first realized that IV bags were the cause of several unexplained medical emergencies. Jurors also heard from the final patient set to testify.
Ortiz is accused of injecting dangerous drugs into IV bags at the Baylor Scott & White Surgicare in North Dallas, leading to 11 patients suffering cardiac emergencies and the death of a fellow doctor.
In 2022, prosecutors released a short clip of surveillance video to the public.
Thursday, new video was shown in court of Dr. Ortiz drawing up syringes without labels and then pacing with multiple syringes in his pocket.
When that new video was shown in the courtroom, victims in the audience began tearing up and getting emotional. Dr. Marsden let out audible gasps.
The defense tried to show other employees were around Ortiz when he had the syringes in his pocket, and no one was acting out of the ordinary.
Dr. Thomas Hung testified about the horrific events that unfolded during a simple surgery to repair 18-year-old Jack Adlerstein's broken nose after a bike accident. He said there were signs of fluid in his lungs.
"Someone suggested we change the IV bag," testified Hung.
In one minute, Adlerstein's condition improved.
Anesthesiologist Senses Something Off
The doctor who suggested changing the IV bag was anesthesiologist Dr. Chad Marsden.
Dr. Marsden testified about how he came to the realization that IV bags could be behind a string of cardiac emergencies in patients at the center.
On Friday, August 19, 2022, his patient, Kelly Pifer, experienced skyrocketing blood pressure and, unlike any other case, he could not control it with medication. She was rushed to the emergency room.
Dr. Marsden noticed the nurse there gave her a new IV bag so she could chart the volumes. Pifer's condition improved, and she survived the event.
Over the weekend, Dr. Marsden said he could not stop thinking about the case because nothing about it made sense.
When Pifer's surgeon called him, he told her, "If a week from now you told me an investigation found someone was putting epinephrine in IV bags, I would be horrified but not surprised."
Marsden said he knew it sounded outlandish. He called the surgicare's administrator, Ashley Burks, to see if he could take a look at charts for unusual cases. He had the opportunity that Wednesday. When he pulled up, an ambulance was already there.
The patient in distress was Adlerstein. After he was transported to the hospital, Marsden instructed personnel that nothing should leave the room. He found a wrapper for an IV bag, and it had a small hole in it.
Final Patient Testifies
78-year-old James Eller also suffered cardiac arrest during a routine surgery. He told the jury on Thursday that his one-hour surgery turned into a one-month ordeal recovering in a hospital.
In August 2022, Eller said he broke his hand on a trip to Norway, and he scheduled a surgery at Baylor Scott & White Surgicare in North Dallas.
Eller told the jury he woke up in an ambulance on its way to Texas Health Presbyterian, where he stayed for nearly a month recovering.
Eller's orthopedic surgeon, Dr. Duc Vo, took the stand next to provide more context on a surgery he said he's performed numerous times in his 23-year career.
Dr. Vo stated it was only intended to last an hour, but he testified a new IV bag was given as he was wrapping up. Within minutes, the surgeon said Eller's blood pressure and heart rate spiked.
Ortiz's defense team brought up Eller's underlying health conditions, including heart issues.
Dr. Vo assured the jury he didn't see any red flags and deemed Eller fit for surgery.
What's Next
Former U.S. attorney Paul Coggins says the government could soon rest its case.
"If I were a prosecutor and I presented a case like this, and I had so much powerful testimony, not just a 1-2 punch, but a 1-2-3-4 punch, where they are hit with all these emotional stories, I would think an ideal time for me to rest would be Friday afternoon. Send this jury home for the weekend thinking about my case," Coggins said.
READ MORE:
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Testimony continues Friday morning at 9 a.m. with more of Dr. Vo's testimony.
Some jurors asked the judge if the court will still be in session on Monday, the day of the total solar eclipse. The judge said yes, but he will give an extended lunch break so jurors are able to view the eclipse outside.
