Whenever you go into an operating room, you’re putting your life in the hands of an anesthesiologist and a surgeon. Anesthesiologists make important decisions that are critical to your survival. A simple mistake can result in death or a catastrophic injury.
Common Anesthesiologist Errors
Anesthesiologist errors result when a doctor fails to adhere to the standard of care while performing their job. This means they have been negligent in their duties. Some errors that an anesthesiologist can make include:
- Improper Dosage—if a physician administers too much anesthesia, then a person can suffer from brain damage or even die. If not enough anesthesia is administered, the patient may wake up during the procedure and be unable to communicate that fact.
- Drug Interactions—if an anesthesiologist fails to recognize a possible adverse reaction between anesthesia drugs and the medications a patient takes, the results can be disastrous
- Patient History—failing to recognize if a patient is allergic to anesthesia can be deadly. All doctors should make sure they are up to date on a patient’s history.
- Improper Monitoring—failure to ensure a patient is thoroughly monitored during a procedure can have dangerous consequences.
- Improper Intubation—failure to properly intubate a patient can lead to aspiration of stomach acids, a lack of proper blood flow, or perforation of the esophagus
- Poor Communication—good communication in the operating room is key, and failure to do so can result in harm to a patient.
The consequences of these and other errors can be a serious injury to a patient or even death. Brain damage or damage to the heart or other organs is a substantial risk of anesthesiologist errors. A wide range of complications can also occur if a patient is deprived of oxygen for a period of time. The specific consequences of an anesthesia error will depend on the type of mistake that is made. When an anesthesia error is the result of medical negligence, an injured patient may have a medical malpractice claim.
Contact a Medical Malpractice Attorney
If you or someone you love has been injured as the result of an anesthesia error, you should have an experienced medical malpractice attorney evaluate your case. At Bonina & Bonina, P.C., we have been helping the victims of medical negligence for over 50 years. Contact us online or call us at 1-888-MEDLAW1 to schedule your free consultation. Home and hospital visits are available. Se habla español.