CHULA VISTA, Calif. — A Chula Vista cosmetic surgeon who is now facing charges of killing one of his patients during a routine breast augmentation surgery needed to refer to a 'cheat sheet while attempting to give the young mother CPR, according to new allegations from the California Medical Board.
Megan Espinoza, a 36-year-old South Bay mother, died in December 2018 following a botched breast augmentation surgery at the South Bay clinic, Divino Plastic Surgery, under the supervision of Dr. Carlos Chacon.
According to a newly amended complaint from the California Medical Board, Chacon not only administered anesthesia without training and waited more than three hours before calling for help but the South Bay doctor was also not capable of performing basic lifesaving measures on Espinoza as he attempted to revive the woman.
Chacon now faces murder charges. His trial is set for April 2024.
During its separate investigation, the state medical board discovered additional information about what happened during the surgery that later killed Espinoza.
Most notably, medical board investigators reviewed a video of the surgery showing Chacon needing a cheat sheet to administer CPR to Espinoza.
"Video of the procedure revealed [Chacon] using Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support cheat sheets while attempting to rescue [Espinoza]," reads the medical board investigation.
And despite the use of the sheets to try and save Espinoza, board investigators found Chacon and staff failed to follow the instructions on the sheets.
In addition, medical investigators also discovered that Chacon was not a board-certified cosmetic surgeon as his website had claimed.
Investigators also discovered at least four other examples where Chacon allowed non-medically certified staff to administer anesthesia as well as perform other medical procedures on patients.
The State Medical Board is seeking to revoke Chacon's license.
While Chacon's criminal trial approaches, the state's medical board's investigation will continue.
