Patient Of N.J. Dentist Linked To Bacterial Outbreak: 'I Nearly Died In His Office'

Andy Castle just wanted to get his wisdom teeth removed. The New Jersey resident knew he'd wake up in pain. He never imagined he'd wake up in a hospital ICU.

And he never had his wisdom teeth removed.

"I nearly died in his office," the Roxbury resident said. "I was intubated and put on a respirator, and my wife was preparing for the worst."

But Castle's case is becoming more common, state officials say, because of one dentist who has been linked to a 15-case bacterial outbreak — an oral surgeon who, despite being sanctioned, is still allowed to practice.

Dr. John Vecchione, who operates in Mt. Olive and Parsippany, engaged in practices linked to bacterial infections of the heart called "endocarditis" for at least two years, including one case that led to a death because of surgery complications, according to records obtained by Patch and filed by the N.J. State Board of Dentistry.

As a consequence, Vecchione signed an agreement with the N.J. State Board of Dentistry to use "best practices in sanitation" after 15 people had to get surgery because of the bacteria, according to state officials.

Castle wasn't even on that list of 15 people, so he surmises there could be many more who were adversely impacted by Vecchione.

Attempts to reach Vecchione were unsuccessful. Read more: N.J. Dentist Linked to 15-Case Bacterial Outbreak, State Officials Say

The state, as well as a 23-year-old patient in a lawsuit filed by the Lynch Law Firm, claim that Vecchione's facility failed to keep equipment in working condition; properly use, sterilize and maintain dental equipment; and establish proper protocols and procedures, among many other problems.

The fact that he's still allowed to practice, however, is what especially galls people who have been impacted by his dental procedures.

Rene Del Grosso of Jefferson said his 25-year-old son, Ryan, was diagnosed with endocarditis about five weeks after having two wisdom teeth pulled by Vecchione.

In the weeks and months after the procedure, Ryan kept passing out, and he ended up in Morristown Medical Center where he nearly died, his father said. Now he's got a scar down his chest and tinnitus in one ear, suffering from 30 percent hearing loss.

"It's not like he [Vecchione] made a mistake. This is how he ran things," Del Grasso said. "I'm just beyond the pale."

"He [Ryan] works at a diner right now because he literally can't do anything else."

Such claims were outlined in a state consent order, as well as a report from the N.J. Department of Health, entitled, "Outbreak of Enterococcus faecalis endocarditis associated with an oral surgery practice." The report cites all 15 incidents involving patients whose ages ranged from 16 to 77.

After investigators became aware of Del Grasso's problems, they identified three cases that followed surgery from the same practice and later discovered 15 patients had been infected — likely caused during the use of IVs to sedate patients before surgery, according to state officials.

Investigators also went to Vecchione's practices, finding several examples of non-sterile products, storage issues and poor hand hygiene, according to state officials.

Castle said his case occurred five years ago when he was given anesthesia for the wisdom teeth removal. He ended up in Hackettstown Regional Medical Center after Vecchione told him he had an allergic reaction to the anesthesia.

But that wasn't true, he said.

He later found out that he had no allergic reaction to any of the drugs during anesthesia. "The only conclusion I could draw was the same one many medical people told me afterwards, that I was given too much anesthesia," he said.

"At the time Dr. Vecchione did not employ a board certified anesthesiologist, he was administering anesthesia himself, and he was not a board certified anesthesiologist," he said. "Curiously, Dr. Vecchione commented a few times to my wife while I was unconscious in the hospital that I was a big guy."

Castle said Vecchione woke him up in the middle of the procedure and said he could not finish it in the office and it would best be done in the hospital.

But that wasn't true either, Castle said. In an emergency, he was carried out of the office in a stretcher.

"Why I was put back to sleep again makes no sense to me to this day," he said.

"I knew he would someday hurt someone, and God knows how many more he has hurt that were in the same position as me," Castle said.

His wisdom teeth are still impacted, and he has some pain. But he's in no rush to get it fixed.

"Voluntary surgery is not for me anymore," he said.

Picture: Multi-dose files and syringes found in John Vecchione's office, courtesy of Andy Castle.