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The Texas Medical Board has suspended the license of an anesthesiologist, claiming his continued practice is a threat to public health. The board said it was notified that Dr. Raynaldo Rivera Ortiz Jr. was the subject of a federal investigation after one person died and several others suffered serious cardiac complications at Baylor Scott & White Surgicare North Dallas.
Officials said that surveillance footage showed Ortiz placing IV bags in warmers outside of operating rooms in the hospital.
"When he deposited an IV bag in the warmer, shortly thereafter, a patient would suffer a serious complication," the disciplinary panel wrote in the temporary order of suspension.
Investigators ran tests on the IV bags and found tiny holes in the plastic wrap around the bags. The bags also contained bupivacaine and similar drugs, though they were not listed on the label.
"Such drugs could and would be fatal when administered unknowingly and intravenously," the board wrote.
In one case, fellow physician Dr. Melanie Kaspar died after using one of the tainted bags to rehydrate.
Officials did not comment about the ongoing criminal investigation, and it is unclear what charges Ortiz could be facing.
Ortiz told KTVT that he was unaware of the investigation and did not know that his license had been suspended.
"I'm just devastated," he told the news station.