A nine-year-old girl died just hours after being under anesthesia for a dental procedure.
Silvanna Moreno passed away on March 18 at Dreamtime Dentistry in Vista, California, following her dental surgery, as noted by the San Diego County Medical Examiner’s Office.
The autopsy report mentioned that Silvanna initially complained of a toothache back in October 2024 and was referred to the dentist for surgery after a consultation.
In a statement to People, Dr. Ryan Watkins from Dreamtime Dentistry stated: “The patient was referred to our office for dental treatment under general anesthesia due to her young age and acute situational anxiety.”
The report further stated Silvanna had a fever of 101 degrees and ‘complained of a headache’ prior to the procedure.
The young girl was described as ‘out of it’ post-surgery according to the autopsy, but was discharged to her mother’s care ‘once she was awake with stable vital signs’.
A representative for the dentist informed People: “Dreamtime Dentistry’s records show that the patient’s mother completed and signed a pre-operative check-in form indicating ‘No’ when asked if the patient was sick.”
“Dr. Watkins follows standard protocol. Had he been informed of any recent fever or illness, especially within 24 hours of the procedure, it would have been rescheduled until the patient was healthy.”
Dr. Watkins mentioned Silvanna was a ‘healthy nine-year-old with a history of regular medical checkups’ and had undergone a ‘thorough review of her medical and dental history’ prior to the surgery.
After falling asleep in the car post-dentist visit, Silvanna remained asleep at home under supervision, as described in the autopsy report.
When she stayed ‘unresponsive’, her family dialed 911 and she was taken to Rady Children’s Hospital.
While at the hospital, Silvanna was given additional medications, ongoing chest compressions, and was intubated, but her condition did not improve, as per the medical examiner’s report. She was declared deceased at 5:44 pm local time.
The cause of death for the nine-year-old was recorded as ‘methemoglobinemia in the setting of recent nitrous oxide administration’. Methemoglobinemia is a rare blood disorder impacting how red blood cells transport oxygen through the body, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
“In patients experiencing this condition, there is typically a refractory hypoxemia, which means that even when breathing 100% oxygen with no airway obstruction, pulse oximetry readings will show abnormally low levels in the 80s instead of the normal high 90s,” Dr. Watkins explained, asserting Silvanna ‘never exhibited’ symptoms of the condition.
Dr. Watkins added: “While the Medical Examiner has ruled this an accident, we take this outcome with the utmost seriousness. We are conducting a thorough internal review of this case and are consulting with leading experts in dental anesthesia to ensure we continue to provide the safest possible care for our patients.”
A GoFundMe campaign was launched following Silvanna’s tragic passing.
“It is with heavy hearts that we share the tragic loss of 9-year-old Silvanna Moreno,” stated a description about the third-grader. “Silvanna was a bright and loving third grader at Sherman Elementary School in San Diego. She was the sunshine in every room she entered, always greeting staff and classmates with a big smile and an even bigger hug.”