A family has continued to spread the memory of their 17-year-old son after he died from complications from anesthesia during routine wisdom tooth removal surgery.
Erik Edge was a student at Gonzaga Preparatory School, a private Catholic high school in Spokane, Washington. His parents, Mark and Sarah, claim he was healthy all his life – until everything changed on June 24.
That was the day his father dropped him off at Liberty Oral and Facial Surgery to have one of his wisdom teeth removed, a procedure that results in death 1 in 365,534 times according to the American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons.
Mark expected the operation to be quick, he said The Spokesman-Review this week. But his son never came out.
Eventually, he said he saw paramedics and firefighters flocking to the dentist’s office. Mark called his wife and fought through the crowds of first responders to get inside and see his son.
The couple watched as Eric received CPR over and over again while firefighters on the scene reportedly told them: “Something is wrong. It doesn’t look good.’
Despite being rushed to a local hospital, Eric did not survive. Sarah said she died from a “completely preventable” reaction to the anaesthetic.
The Edges filed a medical malpractice lawsuit Monday against Dr. Bryan McLelland and his clinic.
Erik Edge, 17, died in June from complications from anesthesia during wisdom tooth surgery
Bryan McLelland, pictured, performed the surgery and acted as the anesthesiologist during Erik’s routine procedure, needlessly endangering his life, according to a lawsuit filed by the family.
They claim that McLelland acted as both the surgeon and the anesthetist during Erik’s operation in order to increase his profits.
Shortly after administering the anesthesia, according to the lawsuit, Eric’s throat closed.
McLelland allegedly failed to notice that Erik was not breathing for “several minutes,” according to George Ahrend, an attorney with the Luvera law firm representing the family.
Ahrend claimed that McLelland and his staff were not equipped to provide life-saving care and Erik died as a result.
“Patient safety should always be the top priority,” Ahrend said. “With almost all surgical procedures, it is standard practice for anesthesia to be administered by someone who is devoting their full attention to the patient. When a surgeon splits his jobs to double his profits, it opens the door to unnecessary risks that lead to tragic losses like Eric’s death.”
McLelland is a licensed oral and maxillofacial surgeon, according to his practice’s website and the Washington State Department of Health.
These types of surgeons are trained in all forms of anesthesia administration, according to the American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons.
This includes local anesthesia – when a specific part of someone’s body is numb during a procedure – and general anesthesia, which can be given intravenously or inhaled through a mask.
The family of four poses with their dogs on the front stoop. Erik is pictured in front and his brother Zack is between their parents Sara and Mark
Sarah (pictured with Eric left) explained how her son was just getting started and was about to start his senior year at Gonzaga Prep
If a patient is given general anesthesia, like Erik, he is rendered unconscious throughout the procedure.
According to the state Department of Health, McLelland’s general anesthesia license was renewed last year.
DailyMail.com has reached out to McLelland’s lawyer, Steve Lamberson, for comment on the lawsuit.
Lamberson previously told The Spokesman-Review that Eric’s death was unfortunate and unexpected.
“He and his staff have been deeply affected, but he followed safety protocols and met the standard of care,” Lamberson wrote in a statement. He added that his client is ready to defend himself in court.
On the day of Erik’s death, McLelland allegedly brought Erik’s wallet and other items to the hospital. He then repeatedly told the family how much medication he was given and how he wished he could trade places with Eric, according to Mark.
Sarah explained how her son was just getting started and was about to start his senior year at Gonzaga Prep.
“He was an incredible 17-year-old kid. He was our light, our sunshine, our person. He had great friends. He was in love for the first time. He was a hard worker,” he said. “He was just a really great person.”
Zach tearfully remembered his brother as a good man in an interview last month with KREM2
Eric fell in love with charity work as a teenager, specifically providing water to impoverished communities in central America
Erik is survived by his parents and brother Zack, who said his brother radiated “joy and positivity all around.”
“He never had a bad word to say about anyone or anything. He just lived his life and didn’t really care about the typical things that teenagers care about, like material things,” Zack told The Spokesman. “He knew what was important and what mattered. He cared about people. I think it’s rare. He was just a good soul.’
Mark took Erik on a mission trip to Honduras when he was 14 years old. They partnered with Living Water International to install wells in cities that lacked access to clean water.
Sarah said Eric “fell in love with it”, so she had the idea to carry on her son’s humanitarian spirit by raising money to build wells around the world in his name.
Their GoFundMe has raised more than $40,000 toward its $50,000 goal. The money has already gone to build a well in the Honduran village that serves up to 900 people, KREM2 reported last month.
“We will install a well in South Asia next year outside the health clinic named after him. It will serve up to 4,000 people to start,” Sara said. “This isn’t fixed and won’t bring Erik back… But it’s a way to honor him and his life.”
Sara, who is a nurse, said she would not have let her son undergo surgery if she had known there was no specialist anesthetist in the room.
As a registered nurse, Sara took the opportunity to warn other parents how to avoid the tragedy that befell their family (The family of four is pictured in an undated photo)
Based on her experience, she told other parents how to prevent the tragedy that happened to their family.
“Find out if there is a specialist, well-trained anesthetist or nurse anesthetist on staff. Ask if there is suitable equipment in the room. Ask what kind of training the staff has. Do they practice for events like this?’ Sarah said. “Make sure the crash cart, if present, has equipment that is up-to-date and has not expired.”
Arendt, the family’s attorney, added that what happened to Eric is common enough that medical professionals prepare for it.
“If every anesthesiologist lost a patient when this complication occurred, every anesthesiologist would have a long career trail of bodies behind them,” he said.
“This is something that was predictable, preventable and treatable,” he added. “Eric should have left that day.”
