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About The daily Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1961-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 14, 2019)
A5 THE ASTORIAN • SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2019 Lung doctors explain how Oregon vaping victim died Recovery had seemed possible By FEDOR ZARKHIN The Oregonian Two Portland doctors say vaping marijuana oils likely led to the death of the Oregon patient they tried to save earlier this summer — one of six deaths nation- wide now attributed to e-cigarettes. Pulmonologists Jason Wells and David Hotchkin for the fi rst time described the patient’s fi ve-week struggle to survive. They said Tuesday that they wanted to speak out now to warn people against the hazards of using e-cigarettes. “It’s important that peo- ple understand that vaping is dangerous,” Hotchkin said. Their patient seemed to get better after a special machine drew the person’s blood, saturating it with oxygen and then pumping it back inside the body. Until the very end, recov- ery seemed possible. Just an hour before suc- cumbing in July, the patient had managed to walk in and out the intensive care room, with staff standing by for support and nurses trailing behind pushing the blood-pumping machine. “It’s one of those cases that will stick with you for your career,” Wells said. The Oregon patient was one of six in the country to die after using e-cigarettes amid a frightening rash of severe lung illness. State and federal inves- tigations have focused on vape oils with THC, the chemical in cannabis that gives users a high. Most vic- tims vaped such products, offi cials said, though some reported only using nico- tine-based e-cigarettes. The Oregon resident who died was on the “young” side of middle age and was using marijuana for chronic Jamie Hale/The Oregonian Jason Wells, left, and David Hotchkin, doctors at The Oregon Clinic, talk about treating a patient who died after severe lung failure, which they say likely started with vaping cannabis oil. pain and recreational rea- sons, Wells and Hotchkin said. Health offi cials have released no biographi- cal information about the patient, citing the family’s wishes. They also wouldn’t name the hospitals where the person was treated. State health investigators said the patient bought THC oil at two legal marijuana stores in Oregon. But as of last week, they hadn’t found the product that the vic- tim used before falling ill. Offi cials haven’t named the two stores where the person shopped. The state is investigating another vaping-related case of a severe lung illness . The second patient survived, the Oregon Health Authority said. The Oregon resident who died while fi ghting the lung disease fi rst went to a Port- land emergency room after suddenly having trouble breathing. The person was sent home with a prescription for an anti-infl ammatory drug but got worse over the next two weeks and checked back into the ER, Wells said. By that point, lifting an arm made the patient feel like people do after exercising to the limit of their physical ability. This time, the patient stayed at the hospital. But the person’s lungs kept los- ing capacity. The victim’s condition got worse every day. To cut oxygen use, doc- tors sedated the patient into a medical coma. They put a tube hooked to a mechanical ventilator into the patient’s trachea. Nothing worked. Within a few days of coming to the hospital, the patient’s blood tests showed kidney dam- age, Wells said. Hotchkin fi rst heard of the case when he stepped out of a business meeting one Monday morning to take a phone call. The physi- cian on the other line said a patient’s lungs were failing and that the person would likely have to be hooked up to an artifi cial lung. Hotchkin and Wells work at the The Oregon Clinic in Northeast Port- land but have privileges at a hospital that has one of the state’s few extracorpo- real membrane oxygenation machines, which put oxy- gen into a patient’s blood. The machines are reserved for the most severe cases of respiratory illness. About 80% of people who need one are in such dire straits, they die. Hotchkin said he imme- diately agreed to take the 2019 Fall Preparedness Events NW Natural Gas “Get Ready” Event Emergency prep booths, demonstrations, giveaways & hotdogs—grab a buddy and head to this annual event. Astoria Armory, 1636 Exchange Saturday, September 14 @ 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. Warrenton Disaster Preparedness Event This event features a day’s lineup of speakers and is sponsored by the Warrenton CERT. Lunch provided. Warrenton Community Center, 170 SW 3rd Saturday, September 21 @ 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. patient — and about an hour and a half after getting the call, the person was at the second hospital. Hotchkin and Wells elim- inated all the obvious pos- sible explanations for the person’s illness. The cause wasn’t an infection, tests showed, and it wasn’t an immune system run amok. The pulmonologists’ main concern was keep- ing the patient alive, Hotch- kin said. Tiny errors could have major consequences, he said, and the focus was on making sure every detail of the treatment went smoothly. The night the patient got to the hospital, the pulmon- ologists hooked the Oregon resident to the artifi cial lung and, soon after, took the person out of a medically induced coma. The patient was now able to talk and walk. Over the next three weeks, friends and family visited in droves, Wells said. The patient was “a very optimistic person” — smiling often, talking and remaining upbeat, Wells said. The patient walked mul- tiple times, physical thera- pists standing by in case the patient needed support and nurses pushing along the lung machine. The doctors were trying to build up the patient’s muscle strength. But the patient couldn’t stay hooked up to the lung machine forever. A lung transplant center in Cali- fornia agreed to take the patient for an evaluation. That didn’t guarantee a new lung but getting to the center was the necessary fi rst step. It didn’t happen fast enough. About an hour after walk- ing out of the ICU room and back to bed on the fi nal day, the patient suffered a brain hemorrhage and died. At the time, Wells and his colleagues were in a meeting to fi gure out how to transport the patient to the California transplant center. Robert F. Bukaty/AP Photo A man exhales while smoking an e-cigarette in Portland, Maine. Oregon pot retailers begin pulling vape brands in lung scare Illnesses reported in 36 states By GILLIAN FLACCUS Associated Press PORTLAND — Ore- gon marijuana retailers on Thursday began removing vaping products from their shelves and offering returns on previously purchased vape pens amid a nation- wide scare over severe lung illnesses and deaths tied to electronic cigarettes. The move came after the agency that regulates Ore- gon’s cannabis industry told The Associated Press on Wednesday that it will soon begin asking retailers to vol- untarily review their vaping offerings and pull those that spark concern. Kind Leaf Pendleton, a pot retailer with the largest inventory in Oregon, said it has already pulled 68 vap- ing products from 15 brands amid uncertainty over what is causing the lung-related illnesses. “What would really hurt is having someone purchase a product and die from vap- ing,” said Erin Purchase, director of operations at Kind Leaf. “Safety is prior- ity here.” California-based Berke- ley Patients Group, the old- est medical dispensary in the country, also said it is contacting all its vendors to ensure products are additive free. U.S. health offi cials said Thursday that there are 380 confi rmed and prob- able cases of vaping-re- lated breathing illnesses in 36 states and one territory, including six deaths. Amid a rampant black market in illicit marijuana vapes, a death in Oregon in July is the only one that pub- lic health authorities have linked to a purchase at a legal cannabis retailer. Authorities have not released further details about that case. Most of the patients said they vaped products con- taining THC, the compound in marijuana that causes a high. Some said they vaped only nicotine, while others said they used both THC and nicotine. After extensive testing, New York investigators have focused on vitamin E acetate, which recently has been used as a thickener, particularly in black market vape cartridges. Suppliers say it dilutes vape oils without making them look watery. Vitamin E is safe as a vitamin pill or to use on the skin but inhal- ing oily vitamin E droplets can trigger pneumonia. Taco Feed Shela’s Famous Tacos! SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 21 ST 10AM - 4PM “Unprepared” Film & Preparedness Panel OPB documentary and preparedness panel discussion for adults and fun activities for kids. Jewell School, 83874 Hwy 103, Seaside, OR Saturday, September 28 @ 2 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. CUSTOMER APPRECIATION Great Oregon Shakeout – Get Ready! Participate as a group or on your own. Register at http://shakeout.org/oregon/ Thursday, October 17 @ 10:17 a.m. Home Depot Safety Fair Safety information, displays and refreshments. Warrenton Home Depot, Hwy 101 & Ensign Saturday, October 26 @ 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. huge savings! 12 Months Same As Cash! O.A.C. 20-40% OFF ALL FURNITURE! Earthquake Preparedness Presentation TedxPortland presenter Steven Eberlein shares his experience and insights from the 2005 Boxing Day earthquake/tsunami. Come and learn how we can better prepare for Cascadia and build resilient coastal communities. Liberty Theater (Astoria) Friday, November 22 Seaside Convention Center Saturday, November 23 Appliance & Home Furnishings “We Service What We Sell” 503-861-0929 529 SE Marlin Avenue, Warrenton, OR Hours: Mon-Fri: 8-6pm • Sat: 9-5pm • Sun: 10-4pm
