Anesthesia Malpractice

Anesthesia malpractice can be the result of many different errors made by anesthesiologists, certified registered nurse anesthetists (CRNA), and even hospitals. Anesthesia malpractice can often result in permanent injury, brain damage, or even death.
   

Anesthesia is a pharmacologically induced state that allows patients to undergo medical procedures by blocking sensations like pain and protects patients from stress-induced complications from the body’s biological responses.

There are several different types of anesthesia including:

  • General anesthesia renders the patient unconscious so that he or she will not remember the surgery.
  • Regional anesthesia affects a significant part of the patient's body, such as an arm.
  • Local anesthesia is administered to a section of the patient's body to numb the area without rendering the patient unconscious.

When a death occurs as a result of anesthesia malpractice the event may never be fully or accurately described in medical records. Doctors and nurses may collaborate on “the party line” and keep details of the procedure secret. Looking into the medical records may completely reveal what occurred during surgery. This lack of information and documentation can be extremely stressful for family members and can hamper any investigation or medical malpractice lawsuit. Unfortunately, “What happens in the operating room stays in the operating room” is a truism in many cases.

Several examples of anesthesia malpractice may include:

  • Administering the wrong dose of anesthesia
  • Administering the wrong type of anesthesia
  • Improper induction or failure to put a patient under anesthesia
  • Failure to properly manage the administration of blood, fluids, and medications

Anesthesiologists have many responsibilities:

  • Anesthesiologists must refuse to participate in, therefore prevent an operation that they feel is not necessary or too dangerous under the circumstances.
  • Anesthesiologists share a responsibility with the surgeon to ensure the proper positioning of a patient during surgery.
  • Anesthesiologists are responsible for making sure the patient has fully recovered from the anesthesia and is safe to be transferred or discharged.

Here are a few examples of anesthesia medical malpractice cases:

  • An elderly woman underwent unnecessary heart surgery. The anesthesiologist and the hospital were sued for failing to stop the operation.
  • A young girl underwent a tonsillectomy and sustained brain damage due to a CRNA administering the wrong type of anesthesia.
  • A young man died shortly after spine surgery. The anesthesiologist and the hospital were sued for failing to recognize serious risk factors and failing to properly treat breathing difficulties in the recovery room.

If you feel you or someone you know has been the victim of Anesthesia Malpractice contact the Sweeney Law Firm. We will consult with the anesthesiologists, CRNA, and other physicians, as well as work with other medical specialists to analyze medical records, X-rays, and other sources of information to determine if there was anesthesia malpractice. If you have a case, The Sweeney Law Firm may be able to recover money damages to help pay medical expenses, lost income, rehabilitation expenses, and other costs, as well as compensate you and your family for emotional and physical pain and suffering and other damages which may occur in cases of anesthesia malpractice.

There is no cost or obligation to have The Sweeney Law Firm evaluate your case.