Man, 36, Dies During Routine Procedure After He Was Given The Same Drug That Killed Michael Jackson

A routine dentist procedure turned fatal for a Melbourne man after he was sedated with the same drug that killed Michael Jackson.

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Michael Anderson visited Collins Street Specialist Dental Centre on April 18, 2017, to get a root canal when he went into cardiac arrest.

His death is now the subject of an a Coroner’s Court of Victoria inquest to investigate whether the 36-year-old's death could have been prevented.

In court on Tuesday, Victoria Police acting sergeant Jeff Dart said Mr Anderson was sedated with Propofol for the procedure, which requires drilling into a tooth to remove decay in order to save a tooth, by 8.45am.

He had stopped breathing by 9.15am and was declared dead in Alfred hospital at 10.48am, with a later autopsy listing the cause of death as cardiorespiratory arrest due to complications from Propofol.

The sedative, which is known for reducing blood pressure, was responsible for the 2009 death of pop star Michael Jackson, along with benzodiazepines.

Mr Anderson, an obese man who the court heard had a slightly enlarged heart' and 'diseased arteries', was given three 50mg doses of Propofol over 10 minutes by anaesthetist Anthony Singh.

Expert witness Forbes McGain, an anaesthetist and intensive care physician, told the court there were 'two areas of concern' in the case.

He said there was no record of Mr Anderson's blood pressure being noted before and after the sedation and another drug, metaraminol, which is commonly given along with Propofol to increase blood pressure, was not administered.

'Propofol will always, if you give enough of it, cause you to stop breathing,' he said.

'[It] causes both a respiratory depression and a cardiovascular depression.'

'He walked into a dental office, he received Propofol and then he was dead within an hour.'

Dr Singh’s lawyer said Mr Anderson's blood pressure was being automatically monitored by a machine, but Dr McGain said recordings still should have been made prior to sedation and after each dose to track it.

Dr McGain also said the small size of the dental surgery hampered paramedics efforts to enter and effectively administer first aid.

The inquest will resume in February.

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