Woman dies hours after dentist took 10 teeth out
A DENTIST whose patient bled to death hours after he finished pulling out 10 of her teeth has been struck off.
Tushar Patel was banned from working for a year after he was found unfit to practise following a catalogue of errors.
The woman who died, known only as Patient A, told Patel she was taking blood-thinning medicine Warfarin for a rare condition that causes clotting.
She had advanced gum disease and experienced dentist Patel removed all of her top teeth during two appointments.
But her wounds were not packed following the treatment and no stitches were put in place. Hours after her final appointment she was rushed to A&E after collapsing at home bleeding from her mouth.
The patient died on July 19, 2017, the day after her final appointment.
A professional conduct hearing last week ruled Patel’s fitness to practise was impaired.
The General Dental Council said Patel, who had 30 years of dental experience, had completed a medical history questionnaire from the victim before he embarked on treatment.
But he failed to warn the victim of the increased risk of bleeding because of her medication.
The panel found he failed to weigh up the risks of his treatment and ignored guidance “well known to dentists”.
It heard he didn’t carry out checks in line with industrystandard guidelines to assess the patient’s risk of post-operative bleeding, or dress her wounds properly.
The panel found he “failed to adequately discuss or adequately record any discussions with Patient A regarding her complex medical history”.
Patel, who graduated from Sheffield University in 1986 with a degree in dental surgery, practised at Confidential Clinics in Purley, Surrey.
The report said: “Your failures placed Patient A at a significant and avoidable risk of harm and were in contrary to guidance. These were basic errors which placed Patient A at significant risk of harm, when this could have, and should have, been avoided.
“You failed to provide an acceptable standard of care for Patient A.”
The hearing was told Patel first examined Patient A in May 2013 when he diagnosed her with advanced periodontal disease – also known as gum disease.
He said she needed some teeth out and extractions were planned for her next appointment, but she did not return for four years.
When she eventually went back in June 2017, she said her teeth had started falling out. Patel extracted five of the patient’s teeth on July 13 and five more several days later.
He failed to pack or suture her wounds following treatment and the woman suffered extensive bleeding from the extraction sites, the report said.
The patient attended A&E at King’s College Hospital in south London but was discharged following treatment to attempt to stop the bleeding.
She collapsed at home in the early hours the following day, was rushed back to hospital by ambulance but pronounced dead soon after.
The report said Patel accepted “the most serious consequences” of his actions and admitted the allegations put to him.
In March 2018, a coroner ruled the medical cause of death was haemorrhage from the tooth extraction site and Warfarin treatment and dental extraction.
The GDC proved a total of eight charges against Patel and suspended his registration to practise for the maximum period of 12 months. The report added: “This was not a single error, but a catalogue of errors.”
Speaking yesterday, Mr Patel said: “The patient’s death was a tragedy and my sincere condolences go to the family.
“I accept the GDC’s findings and deeply regret that there have been deficiencies in my practice.”