Death during a dental procedure is rare but may be associated with the patient's underlying health.
Causes of death associated with dental care:
(1) comorbid cause of sudden death (cardiac, epilepsy-related, etc)
(2) anaphylaxis
(3) obstruction of the airway, including hereditary angioedema
(4) aspiration, including material from the procedure
(5) hypoxemia from over-sedation or respiratory depression
(6) hemorrhage
(7) fulminant infection
Some factors that may contribute:
(1) failure to monitor appropriately
(2) treatment of a complex case as an outpatient
(3) failure to identify or be informed of the patient's health status
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Specialty: Otolaryngology, Clinical Laboratory
