Death of an anesthesiologist kickstarts an investigation into theft and use of sedatives

Argentines are in shock over the case of Alejandro Zalazar, an anesthesiologist who was found dead in February with an IV line attached to his right foot. Investigators also found propofol and midazolam, two sedatives used for general anesthesia, in the health worker’s apartment in Buenos Aires. The news uncovered an alleged network made up of anesthesiologists, which includes continuous petty theft of sedatives from hospitals. According to media reports, the substances, indicated for total anesthesia, were used in parties where attendees went into “controlled trips.” Anesthesiologist Hernán Boveri and medical resident Delfina Fini Lanusse were charged with theft after a complaint filed by the Buenos Aires Association of Anesthesia, Analgesia, and Resuscitation (AAARBA). Six weeks after Zalazar’s death, a nurse was found dead in his house in Palermo, where investigators discovered several vials of propofol and fentanyl and other drugs. The timeline On February 20, anesthesiologist Alejandro Zalazar was found dead in his house. Three days later, Criminal Court No. 47 opened an investigation following a complaint filed by AAARBA regarding the alleged theft of propofol at the Hospital Italiano. The case is under judicial secrecy. The general public learned about the case last month through an anonymous 7:51-minute voice note widely shared on WhatsApp and social media, which named Lanusse and Boveri — who worked in the Hospital Italiano — and several medical centers in Buenos Aires.  The recording also named Chantal “Tati” Leclercq, a third-year resident physician at Rivadavia Hospital, who has been formally charged with the crime of fraudulent administration. The voice note also mentioned “propofol parties” organized by anesthesiologists, in which they allegedly used infusion pumps — hospital equipment to infuse a substance into a patient’s circulatory system.  Local media dubbed those parties “Propofest.” Sources in the Buenos Aires medical community told the Herald that the WhatsApp group chat used to organize those events was called “TIVAfest.”  TIVA is an acronym for Total Intravenous Anesthesia, a method of inducing and maintaining general anesthesia solely through intravenous drugs, which typically utilizes drugs like propofol and remifentanil. Those parties are not part of the judicial investigations, the media reported. Investigators also found that the drugs in Zalazar’s house were stolen from the Hospital Italiano, a renowned, high-complexity medical center in Buenos Aires, founded in 1853. Boveri and Lanusse appealed their charges. The autopsy determined that Zalazar died of “meningoencephalic pulmonary congestion and edema.” Eduardo Betancourt, a 44-year-old nurse, was found dead at his home in Palermo, sitting in a dining room chair with no vital signs; numerous containers of drugs such as fentanyl and propofol were found in his home. Investigators suspect his death may be linked to the other case. The Herald contacted a spokesperson for the Hospital Italiano, who sent back a communiqué published by the institution on March 30, which said that “the appropriate institutional measures were taken and the established procedures were followed.” The Hospital said that none of the accused are working in the institution. “A review of the control and security protocols for the management of controlled substances was initiated, to strengthen oversight mechanisms and prevent situations of this nature,” the statement said, adding that “these types of situations” have also “been reported at other institutions within the healthcare system.” AAARBA’s latest statement on the matter was posted on social media. “It is essential to act responsibly in the face of the dissemination of unverified accounts, avoiding the unnecessary exposure of individuals—especially young professionals—whose reputation and future could be seriously jeopardized,” said the communiqué, published before Boveri and Lanusse were charged. “The issue of substance abuse is a reality that affects not only the medical field,” it added. The statement went on to say that the accusations are not “related to the medical field” and are “matters of private life.”