Overview
- Dr. Shahryar Tork filed the civil suit Tuesday against JourneyLite of Cincinnati and its anesthesia partner, alleging negligent post‑operative care of 47‑year‑old patient Rachel Tussey.
- The complaint says two recovery‑room nurses rapidly gave 150 micrograms of fentanyl and 0.5 milligrams of Dilaudid, which Tork alleges caused respiratory failure and an anoxic brain injury; Tussey died in hospice on March 17.
- Tork also alleges a slow emergency response and poor airway support, claiming 911 was called late and a loose bag‑mask left Tussey without oxygen during recovery.
- JourneyLite denies wrongdoing, citing independent reviews by a board‑certified anesthesiologist and forensic pathologist, the lack of response to Narcan, and an Ohio Board of Pharmacy audit that it says found no errors.
- With no autopsy to establish a cause of death, the family’s lawyers say they are seeking court orders to preserve records and equipment as the suit also challenges staffing practices, including a claim that anesthesia providers left during recovery in violation of Ohio rules.