The family of a 23-year-old woman who died following wisdom teeth surgery filed a lawsuit claiming the dentist not only gave her too much numbing agent but injected it into a blood vessel instead of tissue, according to a story published on October 5 in CBC News.
The estate of Virginia Blatz filed a lawsuit on September 29 in the Manitoba Court of King’s Bench in Canada against Dr. Ronald Janz and his practice, Boundary Trails Dental Centre, in Morden, Manitoba. The lawsuit claims that Janz administered care that was negligent, causing or contributing to the 23-year-old’s death, according to the story.
The family is claiming $130,000 in damages, burial costs, funeral expenses, legal costs, and other damages.
In November 2024, Blatz went to Boundary Trails for third-molar extractions. In preparation for the surgery, she was given an opioid and a sedative. Approximately five minutes later, Janz reportedly administered the local numbing agent articaine, according to the story.
About four minutes later, Blatz purportedly had two brief seizures and stopped breathing. An ambulance was called, and it took her to the hospital. She was pronounced dead there, according to the story.
Blatz’s family claims that she died from local anesthetic systemic toxicity.
The woman’s estate further alleges that Janz injected the anesthetic into a blood vessel instead of the target tissue. Furthermore, the lawsuit accuses Janz of using an articaine dose that exceeded an acceptable amount, Janz did not pull the needle’s plunger back to check for blood, and Janz failed to reposition the needle to ensure the anesthetic only went into soft tissue, according to the story.
Additionally, the lawsuit claims Janz failed to do the following:
- Inform himself of the interactions and lethality of the drugs
- Identify early neurological symptoms of toxicity
- Implement emergency preparedness
Finally, Blatz’s family claims that Janz failed to have a dental anesthesiologist administer and monitor the procedure, Janz delayed administering oxygen and calling emergency personnel, and he didn’t discuss possible risks with Blatz before the procedure, according to the story.
Manitoba Dental Association records show that Janz is restricted from administering local anesthetic.
