SPOKANE, Wash. (Gray News) – A 17-year-old died during a routine wisdom tooth removal in Washington state in June, and his parents filed a lawsuit against the surgeon this week.
According to a news release, 17-year-old Erik Edge was a perfectly healthy teenager and had a common reaction to anesthesia. The lawsuit alleges that the surgeon failed to notice the reaction until it was too late, leading to Erik's death.
Erik's parents, Mark and Sara Edge, filed a medical malpractice and negligence lawsuit Monday against surgeon Bryan W. McLelland, DDS, because the clinic where Edge's surgery took place is Liberty Oral & Facial Surgery.
The clinic is located in Spokane, Washington.
The lawsuit alleges that McLelland acted as both surgeon and anesthesiologist during Erik's procedure.
“After he started the anesthesia, Edge’s airway closed. McLelland did not notice for several minutes, and he and hospital staff were unprepared to provide life-saving assistance and did not respond properly. As a result, Edge lost his life,” the press release states.
The lawsuit said a separate anesthesiologist should have been present for the procedure and that McLelland should not have attempted to perform both tasks at the same time.
According to the complaint, Erik's airway became closed after the anesthesia began, which is a common side effect of the type of anesthesia used. In most cases, an anesthesiologist closely monitors the patient's vital signs and can immediately recognize that the airway has closed and then respond appropriately to keep the patient's airway open and clear, the release said.
Because McLelland served as both surgeon and anesthesiologist during Erik's procedure, the lawsuit alleges that he failed to pay close attention to Erik's vital signs, which led to his death.
The lawsuit alleges that McLelland tried to cut costs and maximize profits by not hiring an anesthesiologist.
“In almost all surgeries, it is common practice for the anesthesia to be administered by someone who gives the patient their full attention,” said a lawyer for the family. “When a surgeon splits his jobs to double his profits, it opens the door to unnecessary risks that lead to tragic losses like Erik’s death.”
The family said McLelland did not tell them in advance that he was the sole provider of surgery and anesthesia, nor did he disclose any safety risks.
Erik's mother said his death was completely preventable.
“As a parent, you trust that a healthcare professional can safely perform a routine procedure like wisdom tooth removal, and finding out that Dr. McLelland instead multitasking for profit only makes us sadder,” said Sara Edge. “Our son died in a completely avoidable tragedy and our family will never be the same. However, we are committed to speaking out and addressing these safety issues so other families can make informed decisions. Parents need to be aware that this can happen to their child. More people talking about it and spreading awareness will be the catalyst for change.”
In honor of Erik, a GoFundMe was created to build freshwater wells in Erik's name – a cause that has been close to his heart since his trip to Honduras to build wells.
The family's lawyers said the end goal of the lawsuit is accountability and safety.
“This family has experienced an unspeakable tragedy and nothing can ease this pain,” said George Ahrend of the Luvera Law Firm. “But the legal system can help uncover the truth and bring to light questionable security practices that should be improved. It is a step to prevent future tragedies like this.”
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