Justice raided the Buenos Aires Association of Anesthesia, Analgesia and Reanimation (FAAAAR) headquarters as part of a probe into drug theft from Hospital Italiano, linked to clandestine "Propofest" parties. The case stemmed from the presumed overdose death of anesthesiologist Alejandro Zalazar in February. Two hospital doctors face charges of fraudulent drug administration.
Alejandro Zalazar, a 31-year-old anesthesiologist at Hospital de Niños Ricardo Gutiérrez, was found dead on February 20 in his Palermo apartment on Juncal 4600 street. He had an IV line in his right foot and catheter marks on the left, along with Hospital Italiano anesthetic drugs and an infusion pump. The autopsy revealed congestion, pulmonary edema, and meningoencephalic edema, presumedly from propofol and fentanyl overdose, according to prosecutor Eduardo Cubría.
Separately, a shortage of propofol and fentanyl is under investigation at Hospital Italiano in Almagro. The accused are Hernán Boveri, a 45-year-old anesthesiologist, and Delfina "Fini" Lanusse, a 29-year-old resident. Both denied the charges before prosecutor Lucio Herrera and are banned from leaving the country. Judge Javier Sánchez Sarmiento oversees this case, separate from the death handled by Santiago Bignone.
"Propofest" parties are clandestine gatherings where health professionals administer propofol and fentanyl intravenously to induce deep sedation, with a "medical guard" for emergencies like apnea. Audios circulated in WhatsApp groups about these "controlled trips".
On Wednesday, Buenos Aires City Police raided homes in Capital Federal and Tigre, and the FAAAAR headquarters in Caballito (Juan Felipe Aranguren 1300), seizing documents on Boveri and Lanusse. The association, which filed as complainant, issued a statement defending the specialty: “The facts belong to the private sphere and in no way to professional practice”. Hospital Italiano launched an internal inquiry.
