Another Dr. Death? Dallas Doctor Convicted of Hurting Patients with Tainted IV Bags

What is going on in the world of medicine?  Especially with doctors in Dallas, Texas?

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I don't know about you but I have been sucked into the Dr. Death series.  It is a true crime drama that is based loosely on a podcast about doctors who have purposely caused death to their patients.

The first season showed Christopher Duntsch, a neurosurgeon accused of malpractice while working at different hospitals in the DFW area.  It appears that he caused serious harm to several patients, leaving them with permanent injuries, and unfortunately, two patients lost their lives.  In 2017 he was convicted of maiming a patient and was sentenced to life in prison.

Fast forward to 2024 and another doctor might be perfect for a third season of Dr. Death.

Dr. Raynaldo Riviera Ortiz Jr.

In 2022, Ortiz was an anesthesiologist at Baylor Scott and White Surgicare in North Dallas. Many patients started suffering cardiac emergencies during routine procedures.   Not long after these alleged emergencies began another anesthesiologist used an IV bag to treat herself for dehydration and ended up dying.

Another incident occurred with an 18-year-old patient who was undergoing sinus surgery. They began to have high blood pressure, cardiac issues, and pulmonary edema.

Testing was ordered on the IV bag and what was found was shocking.  It included multiple drugs including bupivacaine, a nerve-blocking agent, ephedrine, a stimulant, and lidocaine, an anesthetic. After investigating, authorities found a puncture in the bag.   

Ortiz was injecting the bags with these drugs and switching them out in the warming bins waiting for them to be used in other surgeries. 

Video surveillance showed Dr. Ortiz placing an IV bag in the warming bin.

Ortiz was convicted of 4 counts of tampering with consumer products resulting in serious bodily injury, 1 count of tampering with a consumer product, and 5 counts of intentional adulteration of a drug. He is facing up to 190 years in prison. A court date for sentencing has yet to be set.

Why did this doctor harm and kill these patients?

He was disgruntled because he faced disciplinary action for an alleged medical mistake during one of his surgeries.  He was also faced with losing his medical license.

Maybe he thought this would cause a distraction and take the heat of himself and put it elsewhere.

Source: Justice.gov

This would make a perfect season for Dr. Death.