A 17-year-old boy died February 9 after he developed sepsis following root canal surgery at a Blue Island, IL, dental clinic, according to a story in the SouthTown Star.
The youth, Christopher Schutzius, went to Dental Dreams on February 1 to have a filling replaced that he had lost in January while eating a piece of candy. But instead of replacing the restoration, the dentist who saw him performed a root canal.
The teenager began feeling sick on February 5 and stayed home from school on February 7 and 8, the Star reported. By the evening of February 8 his condition had worsened to the point where 911 was called and he was rushed to the MetroSouth Medical Center in Blue Island, where he died.
The cause of death was sepsis, a toxic infection Schutzius apparently contracted following the root canal, according to the Cook County medical examiner's office.
The owner of Dental Dreams, Sameera Hussain, DDS, told DrBicuspid.com that the office was "shocked to hear the news" that the teen had died after the root canal. Dr. Hussain declined to say who performed the surgery, if Schutzius had been given antibiotics, why the filling wasn't simply replaced, or why the dentist chose to do a root canal. She did say the office is conducting a "thorough review" of his treatment.
Dr. Hussain's dental license has been active since 1998, and she has no record of disciplinary actions with the state dental board.
Laura Serna, the teen's foster mother with whom he lived, questioned why the filling wasn't replaced and why the dentist did a root canal instead. She also said Schutzius was not given a prescription for a painkiller or an antibiotic, according to the Star.
