Nov 20, 2007 8:19 pm US/Pacific
TMZ: Dennis Quaid's Twins Fighting For Their Lives
LOS ANGELES (CBS) ―
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Actor Dennis Quaid (File Photo)
AP
In the wake of a report that Dennis Quaid's newborn twins received an overdose of an anti-coagulant medication at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, the hospital confirmed tonight that three patients were accidentally overdosed but were recovering without any apparent ill effects.
Dr. Michael L. Langberg, the hospital's chief medical officer, said three patients received accidental overdoses of Heparin on Sunday from vials containing doses of 10,000 units per milliliter instead of the normal dosage of 10 units.
Heparin is an anti-coagulant used to clean out IV tubes to prevent blood clots.
Langberg did not name the affected patients or confirm a report by TMZ.com that two of the infants were Quaid's two-week-old twins, Thomas Boone and Zoe Grace.
But a representative for Quaid and wife Kimberly Buffington issued a statement to TMZ saying, "Dennis and Kimberly appreciate everyone's thoughts and prayers, and hope they can maintain their privacy during this difficult time."
The twins were born via a surrogate on Nov. 8 in Santa Monica.
In a statement, Langberg said one of the patients' blood-clotting tests quickly returned to normal, while the other two were treated with protamine sulfate -- a drug that reverses the effects of Heparin.
"Additional medical tests and clinical evaluation conducted on the two patients indicated no adverse effects from the higher concentration of Heparin or from the temporary abnormal clotting function," Langberg said. "Doctors continue to monitor the patients."
According to TMZ, a technician at Cedars-Sinai stored the Heparin in the wrong place, so the nurse who grabbed the medicine to administer it to the babies mistakenly administered the wrong dosage.
Langberg admitted that the overdose was a result of an error by the hospital staff. He said an investigation was being conducted internally and the hospital was "cooperating fully with the Los Angeles County Department of Health Services and will take all necessary steps to ensure that this never happens here again."
"I want to extend my deepest apologies to the families who were affected by this situation, and we will continue to work with them on any concerns or questions they may have," Langberg said. "This was a preventable error, involving a failure to follow our standard policies and procedures, and there is no excuse for that to occur at Cedars-Sinai. Although it appears at this point that there was no harm to any patient, we take this situation very seriously."
Quaid and his wife, Kimberly Buffington, were married in 2004. His screen credits include "Great Balls of Fire," "The Parent Trap" and "The Rookie." Quaid also has a 15-year-old son from his marriage to Meg Ryan.
(© 2009 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
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