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People vs. Dr. Conrad Murray -- Anesthesiologist: My Patients Fear Propofol


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Filed under: [url="http://www.tmz.com/category/conrad-murray-trial/"]Conrad Murray Trial[/url]

[b]Anesthesiologist -- Dr. Steven Shafer[/b][b] Testifies[/b]
Updated 10/20/11 at 9:00 AM

[img]http://ll-media.tmz.com/2011/10/19/101911-doctor-still.jpg[/img]

[b]**For today's testimony, click to continue below.**[/b]

Leading Propofol expert [b]Dr. Steven Shafer[/b] --  the final witness for the prosecution -- told the jury,  [b]Dr. Conrad Murray[/b] corrupted his patients ... because now, they're all terrified of Propofol.

He told the jury today -- "I am asked every day I'm in the operating room ... 'Are you going togive me the drug that killed [b]Michael Jackson[/b]?'"

In his review of Dr. Murray's conduct, Shafer testified he found 17 "egregious violations" of standard medical care that contributed to the singer's death.

* Last Thursday, Shafer told prosecutors he was hired 20 years ago by the company that produces Propofol to calibrate the correct dosing for the drug.
* Shafer said the exact dosage of Propofol is crucial -- because even a slight discrepancy could be the difference between a patient sleeping for a few minutes, and one sleeping for several hours.
* Jurors then watched a video that showed how Propofol should be used in the OR. The clip showed nurses and doctors successfully reviving a patient -- played by an actor -- suffering from a cardiac arrest. Prosecutors were trying to show the jury Dr. Murray was not equipped to handle an emergency situation when he treated MJ.
* Shafer explained to the jury that Jackson probably died because his tongue blocked the back of histhroat ... but could have been saved with a simplechin lift.

* As the video was played, Dr. Shafer gave a blow by blow how Propofol is administered.
* Shafer's key points:
-  Infusion of drugs should be done ONLY through a pump to avoid overdosing.
- "Informed consent" is not just a piece of paper but a process in which the doctor informs the patient of all the risks, benefits and alternatives.
-  A verbal consent is NOT binding.
- Record keeping is paramount
- If the patient stops breathing, the first thing a doctor should do... call for help.
* Shafer told prosecutors even when administering "a little bit" of Propofol, guidelines should be strictly followed because the worst disasters occur during sedation ... when doctors "cut corners."
* Shafer said Murray's treatment of MJ is both an "egregious" and "unconscionable" violation  of standard care. 
* He also called 15.5 liters of Propofol Murray bought -- about four gallons worth -- "an extraordinary amount" for one person.
* Shafer said Murray's lack of basic and essential monitoring devices are an egregious violation of care and contributed to MJ's death.
* The fact that Murray never kept any records is "unbelievable," according to Shafer.
* He said Murray "left the steering wheel" when he went to bathroom to relieve his bladder calling the doc "quite clueless."
* Shafer told prosecutors there are 2,500 articles about Propofolsedation... and only one -- very flawed -- article about Propofol andinsomnia. He said, "We're in a pharmacological Never-Never Land. It'sonly ever been done to Michael Jackson in history as far as I know."
* Shafer said, there is absolutely no way Jackson could have caused his own death by swallowing Propofol -- as the defense first claimed -- because 99% of the drug would have been removed by the liver BEFORE going into the bloodstream.
[url="http://www.tmz.com/2011/10/13/people-vs-dr-conrad-murray-anesthesiologist-testifies-michael-jackson-mj-trial-propofol-manslaughter-death/"]Permalink[/url]





[url=http://www.tmz.com/2011/10/13/people-vs-dr-conrad-murray-anesthesiologist-testifies-michael-jackson-mj-trial-propofol-manslaughter-death/]View the full article[/url]

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