CA surgeon acquitted of hastening patient death

California transplant surgeon Dr. Hootan Roozrokh could hardly have faced uglier charges. Roozrokh, 34, was accused of hastening the death of Ruben Navarro, a 25-year old man with multiple disabilities who came to the hospital and was diagnosed with irreversible brain damage.

Now, after deliberating for two days, a jury has absolved Roozrokh of the charges, which stemmed from a 2006 incident taking place at San Luis Obispo, CA-based Sierra Vista Regional Medical Center. Roozrokh had been involved in the case on behalf of the California Transplant Donor Network.

Roozrokh was accused of administering excessive doses of morphine and Ativan to Navarro, not to mention topical antiseptic Betadine, in an effort to make sure his organs could be removed for transplant before they failed. Roozrokh, for his part, had testified that he gave Navarro the drugs only to make sure he didn't suffer after being removed from a respirator.

To learn more about the case:
- read this Modern Healthcare article (reg. req.)

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