Rachel Tussey, a 33-year-old Ohio mother of three, tragically died following a routine tummy tuck surgery after allegedly receiving excessive amounts of opioids during her recovery.
Her husband is now suing the surgery center and anesthesia provider, accusing them of gross medical malpractice and negligence in the death of his wife, who had been documenting her wellness journey on TikTok.
A Wellness Journey Turned Tragic
On February 25, 2023, Rachel Tussey underwent an abdominoplasty (tummy tuck), liposuction, and an umbilical hernia repair at JourneyLite Surgery Center in Evandale, Cincinnati.
The mother of three had been sharing her experience with her 80,000 TikTok followers as part of her “mommy makeover” wellness journey. Just before the surgery, Tussey expressed excitement and gratitude, saying in her final video, “I’m in good hands…let’s do this.”
Tragically, after what appeared to be an uncomplicated procedure, Tussey’s life would take a devastating turn due to what her family describes as a botched recovery process.
Allegations of Negligence and Wrongful Death
Tussey’s husband has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against JourneyLite of Cincinnati and its anesthesia partner, Associated Anesthesiologists of Springfield.
According to the legal complaint, the surgery center’s post-anesthesia care unit (PACU) staff administered a lethal overdose of fentanyl and Dilaudid to Tussey just after surgery, without proper monitoring or emergency response measures in place.
The lawsuit alleges that an unqualified nurse gave Tussey a “lethal opioid overdose” that caused her to go into cardiac and respiratory arrest. The result was catastrophic brain damage caused by oxygen deprivation, leading to a coma from which she never recovered.
The Fatal Post-Operative Care
The legal complaint claims that within 50 minutes of Tussey’s surgery, her husband noticed that her lips were turning blue and she had stopped responding. Despite his repeated attempts to call her name, Tussey was unresponsive. Emergency Medical Services (EMS) were called to the facility.
Upon investigation, Tussey’s doctor was informed that, post-surgery, she had been given “150 micrograms of fentanyl” and “0.5 milligrams of Dilaudid” shortly after the procedure.
These medications were allegedly administered in addition to the doses Tussey had already received during the nine-hour surgery. In total, she received 100 micrograms of fentanyl and 0.5 milligrams of Dilaudid during the surgery, which the lawsuit claims was excessive.
A Lethal Combination
According to the complaint, the combination of fentanyl and Dilaudid, administered too rapidly and in excessive amounts, caused significant opioid toxicity, which led to Tussey coding.
When this occurred, nurses allegedly failed to properly intervene, using a bag mask incorrectly, which caused further harm. Tussey’s family claims that the anesthesiologists had left the facility for the day, abandoning their patient before the post-anesthesia care was complete.
The lawsuit accuses JourneyLite of not providing adequate staffing or emergency response capabilities and of failing to properly monitor Tussey during recovery.
Additionally, it claims that key medical records and personnel files were altered or destroyed in an attempt to cover up the situation after the family made the center aware of their intention to file a lawsuit.
Legal Action and Pursuit of Justice
Tussey’s husband, through his attorney Bernard E. Layne, has stated that the surgery center’s breakdown of basic medical responsibilities led to his wife’s death. “When patients entrust their lives to a surgical facility, they trust the facility to protect their safety,” Layne said. “The allegations in this case… allege a profound breakdown of those basic responsibilities.”
The Tussey family is seeking compensatory and punitive damages, as well as attorneys’ fees, in addition to any other relief permitted under Ohio law. The lawsuit also includes allegations of negligent hiring, retention, and supervision on the part of JourneyLite.
