Anesthesia Errors
The use of some type of anesthesia is an almost universal aspect of modern medical procedures. The goal is to prevent the patient from experiencing the discomfort and pain that would otherwise occur as a result of the procedure. Thus anesthesia and other pain prevention and pain management techniques have dramatically increased the quality of medical care. However, unfortunately there are times in which anesthesia is administered incorrectly, which can lead to a variety of problems. When this occurs due to a reasonably preventable error or negligence this is a type of medical malpractice.
Types Of Anesthesia
Anesthesia can be administered by many of the medical staff including the anesthesiologist, registered nurse or physician. There are a number of different types of anesthesia which include
- Local – Used on a specific and localized area of the body
- Spinal – Injected in a spot close to the spinal cord
- Regional – Used to numb bigger body areas
- General – Anesthesia is administered throughout body and patient becomes unconscious
- Dissociative – Patient is conscious yet in a dazed-like state
Errors Associated With Anesthesia
Anesthesia mistakes can be caused by a number of things such as faulty equipment, giving the wrong drug, giving too much or not enough of the drug, not administering oxygen during the procedure and anesthesia interactions. Errors can also occur if the patient has allergies or if liquid and food intake were not limited prior to the procedure.
No matter what the cause of the error is, there are numerous effects that can occur. These may include
- Organ damage
- Stroke or seizures
- Issues with blood pressure
- Abnormal heart rhythm
- Blurred vision and dizziness
- Anxiety and stress due to anesthesia awareness
- Paralysis
- Nerve damage
- Death
While many things can go wrong as a result of anesthesia errors, the most common causes of death are due to respiratory issues related to an anesthetic drug overdose. Fortunately death due to anesthesia mistakes is not a common occurrence; however, these anesthesia mistakes can lead to permanent or life-altering changes to the patient. If any of these errors are caused by negligence from one or more of the medical staff, it may be considered a case of medical malpractice.
Talk To Us About Your Anesthesia Malpractice Case
If you or a loved one is the victim of medical malpractice involving anesthesia it is crucial to learn about your legal rights and options. You may be able to recover damages for physical and mental trauma. Please call McGehee ☆ Chang, Landgraf, Feiler to schedule a consultation so that we can help you get the justice and compensation you deserve: 713-864-4000.
