The Little Village dentist whose 5-year-old patient lapsed into a coma and later died said Friday he improperly documented the treatment of the sedated child and left her in the care of an untrained assistant.
Dr. Hicham K. Riba testified at a state licensing hearing that he thought the procedure had gone fine–until he realized Diamond Brownridge had stopped breathing.
The Southwest Side girl died Sept. 27, four days after a routine dental visit.
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An autopsy found she died of a lack of oxygen caused by anesthesia.
Riba said he incorrectly noted in his original report that he gave the girl more Valium than she received. He said he amended the report once he knew he would be testifying under oath.
Through tears, Riba said he is always “thinking of Diamond and the tragedy that took place.”
But Riba wasn’t qualified or licensed to give Diamond deep sedation, state medical prosecutor Sadzi Oliva told an administrative law judge Friday.
Diamond’s death, she said, could have been prevented if her pulse, respiration and blood pressure had been properly monitored.
Riba’s dental assistant, who testified that she has had no formal medical training beyond a cardiopulmonary resuscitation class, said that after the procedure she was told to put Diamond on her side and pinch her neck every few minutes to make sure she responded.
The assistant said that while the two were alone she did not take Diamond’s pulse by hand or check her breathing.
When Riba returned 10 minutes later, Diamond didn’t respond to several pinches, Riba testified. He then said he called emergency personnel and began to administer CPR.
Riba, whose license has been temporarily suspended, has filed a lawsuit seeking to continue to see patients while his license is under review. His request was rejected Friday.
Riba’s attorney Glenn Crick said that negative media coverage prompted the state to prematurely suspend Riba.
“A tragic death, sensational press and a rush to judgment, that’s what this case is about,” Crick said.
Defense lawyers also questioned whether malignant hyperthermia, a genetic disease that can cause respiratory problems triggered by anesthesia, could have contributed to Diamond’s death.
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