Anesthesia Malpractice

Since its introduction around 100 years back, anesthesia has become safer and more effective than before. Anesthesia can be of the following four types:

  • Local anesthesia where only a small part of our body is numbed allows the patient to retain consciousness. This form of anesthesia is used for small operations like dental procedures and stitches.
  • Regional anesthesia numbs a larger part of the body compared to local anesthesia while keeping the patient conscious during the process. A common example of regional anesthesia is an epidural during labor.
  • Monitored sedation is used in less-invasive procedures like colonoscopies where the patient remains semi-conscious.
  • General anesthesia is where the patient remains fully unconscious and is used in major surgeries such as open-heart surgery.

While anesthesia carries an array of benefits like removing the painful element from medical procedures, there is also a high chance of something going wrong causing the patient to suffer from a variety of consequences. The mistakes committed while requesting or administering anesthesia serve as the basis for anesthesia malpractice.

Let us now take a look at the common causes of anesthesia malpractice:

  •   The anesthesiologist fails to review the patient’s medical history properly including allergies and medication.
  •   The anesthesiologist fails to properly warn the patient to avoid eating or drinking before surgery.
  •   Usage of an extremely high or low dosage of anesthesia.
  •   Incorrect placement of the breathing tube.
  •   Delaying the administration of anesthesia.
  •   Using the wrong type of anesthesia drug.
  •   Not monitoring the patient closely.
  •   Using defective equipment for the procedure.
  •   Miscommunication among operating room personnel.
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Some of the common injuries arising out of anesthesia malpractice are:

  •   Cardiac arrest
  •   Damaged organs
  •   Brain damage in newborns
  •   Damaged teeth
  •   Nerve damage
  •   Ongoing pain

All of these above-mentioned injuries can immensely hamper your quality of life.

An anesthesiologist specializes in the process of administering anesthesia. It is required of them to be thorough about this entire drill and stay committed through each stage of the surgery. They have an active role to play while scanning through the patient’s medical history, preparing the patient before the surgery, during the surgery, and also during the recovery phase.

Even the smallest of defects at any stage can impose a harmful impact on the patient’s health and life. This type of medical malpractice can occur during childbirth or surgery, in a hospital, dentist’s office, doctor’s chamber, or an outpatient surgical center operating room. An array of complications might arise from anesthesia malpractice. While some might be mild like sore throat, others can be as severe as death or anxiety. Various research studies have suggested that anesthesia drugs can cause progressive loss of cognitive functions and dementia in older patients.

If you live in Miami, you need to consult a Miami medical malpractice attorney if you or any of your loved ones has undergone a medical procedure with anesthesia and suffered from an adverse medical outcome. They will instruct you towards collecting the records about the procedure. By consulting a medical malpractice lawyer, the victims can get the right financial compensation they are entitled to receive.

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