Inset: Derek Swanson (Facebook). Background: Scottsdale Facial and Oral Surgery in Arizona, where Derek Swanson allegedly suffered a fatal brain injury while receiving anesthesia for a dental implant procedure (Google Maps).
An Arizona man went to the dentist for a tooth implant and suffered a fatal brain injury from anesthesia complications, with his family securing a recent legal settlement after filing a wrongful death lawsuit, according to their attorneys.
"Yesterday, new car. Today, implant! Fun never stops," wrote Derek Swanson on social media after snapping a photo in the dental chair before the implant procedure, according to local ABC affiliate KNXV.
"He was so excited," Swanson's mother, Brenda Swanson, told KNXV earlier this year after filing the wrongful death suit against Dr. Derek Lamb and Scottsdale Facial and Oral Surgery. "He had fixed a lot of teeth, and they were looking really nice."
In their complaint, Swanson's family accused Lamb and the dental practice of causing a series of failures while administering anesthesia to the 40-year-old that left him without enough oxygen. This resulted in a fatal brain injury that led to his death.
"This happened on the third of March 2023, and we took Derek off life support on the 10th of March," Brenda Swanson told KNXV. "They called Derek back, and that I won't forget. He turned around and he gave me that wink and said, 'love you,' and he walked back."
Brenda said she "kept waiting and waiting" for Swanson to return to the lobby following the implant procedure, but Derek "wasn't coming out." At one point, she heard an ambulance outside but didn't think anything of it.
"There was a hospital right nearby with an emergency room," Brenda said. "So I heard a siren, and I just assumed it was from the hospital, not realizing that the ambulance had come."
The Maricopa County Medical Examiner later determined that Swanson's death was due to complications of anesthesia administration. "We think Dr. Lamb made a variety of mistakes, not just in proceeding with the procedure, but in failing to adapt to the changing circumstances," said Shannon Clark, an attorney who represented the family, in a statement to KNXV. "Dr. Lamb, in this case, was not only doing the procedure, but he was also responsible for the anesthesiology aspect of it."
The Arizona State Board of Dental Examiners reportedly investigated Swanson's death and said there were multiple deviations from standard care. The board determined that Lamb failed to consider risk factors, including the fact that Swanson allegedly told him he smoked cannabis the morning of the procedure. This was an issue because, according to the board, cannabis increases the risk of a throat spasm occurring during anesthesia.
Lamb's conduct was deemed unprofessional and he was ordered to complete 12 hours of dental education. His anesthesia permit was also suspended for three months.
The Swanson family confirmed this week that a settlement was reached with Lamb and his dental practice, with their lawyers telling KNXV, "We can confirm that the case has settled and is now dismissed. We are not at liberty to comment further on that matter."
Lamb and Scottsdale Facial and Oral Surgery did not respond to Law&Crime's requests for comment on Tuesday.
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