AUGUSTA, Maine (NEWS CENTER) -- Embattled Lewiston oral surgeon Dr. Jan Kippax lost a civil suit on Monday when a jury found that he must pay $300,000 in damages to a patient who claims he got an infection from Kippax's procedure and subsequent "lack" of post-operative care.
Steve Darnell, of Minot, had a procedure on December 31, 2010 with Dr. Kippax, according to Darnell's attorney, John Lynch. Lynch said Kippax extracted two of Darnell's molars.
Lynch said the following Monday, Darnell appeared at Kippax's office complaining of excruciating pain, but that Kippax did not prescribe any antibiotics, and did not follow up with Darnell.
He said that on January 5, Kippax received a call from an emergency room doctor saying that Darnell was there with paraesthesia, an abnormal tingling sensation typically brought on by pressure or damage to nerves. According to Lynch, Kippax never responded to the call.
Lynch said on January 7, Kippax got another call from the ER, and did not respond to that call either.
Lynch said Darnell developed an infection, which he then had to have surgically remediated. Lynch said doctors drained about 35 millileters of pus.
"That's like a juice box," Lynch said describing the volume of fluid.
Kippax, his practice, and his license are currently under review by the Maine Dental Board. The Board heard a series of complaints in mid-October of 2017 from patients who filed formal complaints that Kippax pulled the wrong teeth, ignored their cries of pain, and did not provide adequate post-op care.
Kippax denies those claims.
His hearings with the board are scheduled to resume in mid-November.