Budd Lake Oral Surgeon Sued After Patients Develop Heart Infections

Vecchione signed a consent decree on July 7 with the state Board of Dentistry to use best practices in sanitation and to make immediate sanitation improvements. The consent decree says that Vecchione fully cooperated with the investigation and that the probe didn’t find that conditions at the clinic had caused the infections.

During its investigation, the state Department of Health determined that at least 15 of Vecchione’s patients suffered from endocarditis after undergoing oral surgery procedures using intravenous sedation between December 2012 and August 2014 at North Jersey Oral, Maxillofacial and Reconstructive Surgery, according to the lawsuit.

Endocarditis is an infection of the heart’s inner lining or valves. It generally occurs when bacteria from other parts of the body, such as the mouth, spread through the blood stream and settle in the heart. If untreated, it can damage or destroy the heart’s valves and lead to life-threatening complications, the suit says.

The investigation began after Ryan Del Grosso of Jefferson, now 23, was diagnosed with endocarditis about five weeks after having two wisdom teeth pulled. By November 2015, the state had received three reports of bacterial endocarditis. Further investigation showed that all patients had undergone oral surgery at North Jersey Oral, Maxillofacial and Reconstructive Surgery, according to the lawsuit.

Representatives from the township Health Department, the Communicable Disease Service of the state Department of Health and the state Department of Law and Public Safety conducted an unannounced visit to the facility on Nov. 14, 2014, and found a number of safety violations. Vecchione “fully complied” with the investigators, according to the consent order.

It was found that the facility’s infection prevention practices did not follow the guidelines provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The state Department of Health determined that the violations of important safety procedures “likely led to the spread of the infections,” according to the lawsuit.

On March 12, 2015, Vecchione voluntarily hired a state-approved infection prevention consultant to evaluate the office. The consultant did not find a link between the office and the cases of endocarditis. But added areas for improvement were noted, including improved sterilization and disinfection procedures, monitoring hand hygiene and implementing needle safety precautions.

The lawsuit filed by Lynch Law Firm on behalf of Del Grosso, claims that Vecchione’s facility failed to: Keep equipment in working condition; Properly use, sterilize and maintain dental equipment; Establish proper protocols and procedures; Adequately advise the patient of the risks of the surgery; Take an adequate medical history for patients; Correctly interpret medical tests and x-rays; Diagnose the patient’s condition in a timely manner; and properly treat the patient’s condition.

Source: www.newjerseyhills.com www.newjerseyhills.com

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