There is some level of risk involved with every type of anesthesia. Although anesthesia errors can be caused by a number of factors, they often result from medical negligence. When a preventable anesthesia mistake is caused by a medical professional's failure to exercise a proper standard of care, the at-fault doctor or anesthesiologist can be held accountable for any resulting injuries.
If you or a loved one has suffered injuries due to anesthesia errors, your doctor or anesthesiologist may be liable for any resulting damages. To learn your legal rights in a case of anesthesia errors, fill out our free case review form to speak with a medical malpractice lawyer.
Patients trust that their anesthesiologists and doctors have taken proper precautions to prevent anesthesia errors. When a medical professional fails to exercise the appropriate standard of care advising a patient, administering anesthesia or providing follow-up care, injured patients have the legal right to hold the at-fault party accountable. The following describes the most common anesthesia errors that result from medical negligence:
The consequences of an anesthesia error will rely on the type of medical mistake made and the subsequent response from the medical team. The most common injuries caused by anesthesia mistakes include the following: heart attack or stroke; spinal cord injuries; asphyxia; damage to the trachea; brain damage; coma; and death.
Anesthesia awareness often results from a medical error and can cause serious trauma to the patient. Anesthesiologists are required to regulate a patient's consciousness during a procedure. If an anesthesiologist provides an inadequate dose of anesthesia, the patient may wake up during the surgical procedure.
Anesthesia awareness can be a terrifying experience, as the patient may be unable to speak but is aware of their surroundings and may even feel pain from the surgery. According to research published in Anesthesia & Analgesia, approximately 28% of patients who suffer anesthesia awareness will experience pain from the operation. Anesthesia awareness can cause serious emotional problems, including post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety and sleep problems.
Local Anesthesia: When properly administered, local anesthesia is safe and exhibits few major side effects. However, large doses can cause mayhem when the body absorbs it through the bloodstream. This reaction, known as systemic toxicity, may impact breathing, heartbeat, blood pressure, and other system functions. Since there is always a possibility for these anesthesia complications to occur, emergency care equipment should be on location wherever anesthetics are used.
Regional Anesthesia: During regional anesthesia, the injection is administered near a nerve or bunch of nerves or the spinal cord. On rare occasions, a nerve may be damaged, causing unrelenting loss of feeling, weakness, or soreness. As with local anesthesia, regional anesthesia also brings with it the potential for system toxicity. Other anesthesia complications may include heart or pulmonary problems and infection.
General Anesthesia: General anesthesia stifles natural throat reflexes that prevent aspiration such as swallowing, coughing, or gagging. Aspiration occurs when a piece of food or liquid becomes lodged in the trachea or lungs (respiratory tract). To avoid aspiration, an endotracheal tube may be inserted during general anesthesia. Aspiration during surgery using anesthesia is very rare; patients are normally told not to consume any food or beverages for a specific time period prior to surgery because an empty stomach will minimize the risk.
Insertion or removal of breathing aids during general anesthesia could create respiratory troubles like coughing, gagging, or muscle spasms in the larynx (laryngospasm) and bronchial tubes (bronchospasm). It may also trigger an increase in blood pressure (hypertension) and heart rate (tachycardia). Additional complications may include damage to the mouth (teeth and lips), inflammation of the voice box, sore throat, and hoarseness caused by irritating or injuring the larynx. Even more serious side effects could result from general anesthesia such as fluctuations in blood pressure or heart rate, stroke, or heart attack. Severe illness or injury or death caused by anesthesia is extremely rare and typically has something to do with errors in the surgical procedure. Approximately one in 250,000 people die during general anesthesia, but the risk is significantly increased in patients with serious medical issues.
If you or a loved one was injured due to an anesthesia error, you may be able to seek monetary damages for your losses and suffering. To find out more about your legal rights and options, contact our medical malpractice attorneys today by filing out the form on the right. We can review your claim for free and determine the best course of legal action depending on your situation.
1-877-MORGAN-LAW
Guided Case Review