Murrieta-based T3D Official Dies Following Dental Surgery

Questions are being raised about a 24-year-old man who allegedly worked in Murrieta and died after receiving dental surgery in Temecula.

Marek Lapinski, reportedly died on March 24 after undergoing anesthesia days before to get his wisdom teeth pulled by Dr. Steven Paul, DDS, of Temecula.

According to reports, paramedics were called to the doctor’s office on Margarita Road the morning of March 21 following complications. Lapinski was transported to Rancho Springs Medical Center in Murrieta, but was later transported to Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center, according to the Los Angeles Coroner’s Office. Lapinski was pronounced dead at 6:30 p.m. at UCLA the facility, according to the coroner records.

The coroner’s office has yet to release details on a cause of death.

Lapinski’s mother April told KTLA News that first-responder reports indicate her son began to cough during the March 21 dental surgery and was administered Propofol. The drug is used during anesthesia, according to drug labeling. Following the Propofol administration, Marek went into cardiac arrest and may have had a piece of surgical gauze blocking his airway, April told KTLA.

Marek’s sister Natalie Lapinski told KTLA that medical records indicate her brother went without oxygen for about 10 minutes.

Paul’s attorney Clark Hudson responded with a statement to Patch today.

"Dr. Steven Paul has always provided the highest level of oral surgery care to his patients.  He maintains an oral surgical suite that provides state of the art services and monitoring for his patients. However, as safe as oral surgery is in today’s environment, no surgical procedure is without risk,” Hudson said.

“The circumstances regarding Mr. Lapinksi’s complications are not completely understood,” Hudson continued. “What is understood is that Mr. Lapinski’s complications occurred despite the fact there were no apparent contraindications for his oral surgery, routine anesthetic medications were being used for the procedure, and immediate measures were undertaken to revive the patient as soon as the patient began to decompensate. The reason for the patient’s decompensation is unknown, however, all standard protocols were followed.  Dr. Paul, and his staff’s, thoughts and prayers are with Mr. Lapinski, Mr. Lapinski’s family and close friends.”

According to an April 1 CBS Pittsburgh news report, Marek grew up in Pennsylvania and was a former North Allegheny High School and Duquesne University football player. Family friend Tony Keiser told the news agency, “A healthy non-smoking 24-year-old young adult does not die in a dental chair.”

According to the Murrieta-based company Tactical 3rd Dimension’s (T3D) website, Marek served the technology manufacturer as vice president of finance and business strategy. Marek is featured in a video on the company’s website, and he’s named in a company press release. According to the release, the North Allegheny High School graduate had been involved in the creation of advanced 3D technology that was being presented to the U.S. military.

Calls to the company have gone unreturned.

Locally, Marek’s friends are leaving messages on Facebook.

“Prayers go out to their family and friends,” said one.

“Horrible end to a young life,” another post read.