Anesthesia has opened up the world of medicine in ways that would otherwise not be possible. Even though anesthesia errors are rare, they can have devastating consequences. Anesthesia administration is such a complex and potentially dangerous part of surgery that it must be performed by an anesthesiologist, a specialist who works alongside the surgeon and whose only job is to administer the anesthesia and monitor the patient. Anesthesia errors are one of the most catastrophic types of medical malpractice .
Anesthesia errors Anesthesia errors can happen in many ways and may be caused by human error before or during surgery or by defective equipment. Anesthesia errors and their causes include:
• Overdose
• Administration of too little anesthesia
• Delayed delivery of anesthesia
• Allergic reaction to anesthesia
• Harmful drug interactions
• Defective medical devices used during sedation
• Inadequate product labeling
• Failure to give proper instructions to the patient regarding fasting before surgery
• Failure to properly monitor the patient while sedated
• Failure to properly administer oxygen or respond to oxygenation problems during surgery
Who is responsible for anesthesia error?
Parties responsible for errors can vary depending on the nature of the error. Although the anesthesiologist is primarily responsible for properly administering the medication, monitoring the patient, and taking appropriate measures if a problem arises, a drug company, medical device manufacturer, health care facility, and other health care practitioners or medical staff may be responsible for the cause of the error. An experienced medical malpractice attorney can advise you of your rights should you lose a loved one to a medical mistake.
Injuries caused by anesthesia error
The results of anesthesia error also depend on the nature of the error and can cause permanent impairment or death. These injuries include:
• Anesthesia awareness
• Brain injury
• Spinal cord injury
• Paralysis
• Nerve damage
• Heart attack
• Stroke
• Birth defects
• Asphyxia
• Coma
• Death
Anesthesia awareness
Anesthesia awareness does not cause immediate physical harm, but it is the most traumatic anesthesia injury and it can lead to serious health problems later down the road because victims are often so terrified of health care procedures after the experience that they avoid going to doctors altogether.
In anesthesia awareness the patient is conscious during surgery. He may feel extreme pain or be able to feel what is going on during the procedure. At the same time, the patient is paralyzed and cannot communicate at all. It is impossible to escape the experience or get help. Anesthesia awareness can lead to:
• Post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
• Anxiety and panic disorders
• Sleep disorders
• Total avoidance of doctors and medical settings due to extreme fear no matter how great the need for medical attention
