Anesthesia Medical Malpractice

When most people think of the dangers of surgery, they think of the surgeon’s scalpel.  However the application of anesthesia, which is routinely administered every day in hospitals and medical facilities across the country, can be just, as if not more, dangerous.  The anesthesiologist’s job has no room for error and malpractice can occur at any time during the surgical process, whether it is in the operating room, during pre-operative preparation, in the recovery room, in the doctor’s office, or in childbirth.  It has been indicated by current statistics that 1 in every 200,000 to 300,000 patients die due to anesthesia complications.

Simple errors in judgment or overlooking signs that indicate a danger to the patient tend to be the cause of anesthesia medical malpractice.  These causes can include:

• Defects in the equipment.
• The administration of an overdose due to a failure to adequately examine the patient’s history or the wrong dosage was administered.
• Failure to educate the patient about restrictions on food and alcohol consumption prior to or after the procedure.
• Negligence in monitoring a patient’s vital signs.
• Incubating a patient incorrectly.

Injuries that can result from mistakes caused by an anesthesiologist can be life altering or even fatal.  Such injuries can include:

• Stroke
• Heart attack
• Brain injury
• Collapsed lung(s)
• Birth defects
• Coma
• Death

In one case, a Sleepy Hollow, New York hospital is facing a medical lawsuit after a woman suffered severe brain damage after she had undergone a routine endoscopy procedure for stomach pains.  The patient, Raina Ferraro, went into cardiac and respiratory arrest during the procedure and is currently in a vegetative state. Ferraro’s parents claim that the hospital, Phelps Memorial Hospital Center, and its doctors were negligent when they failed to properly administer anesthesia.

If you or a loved one has been injured due to an anesthesia error, you can seek compensation for losses and suffering.  To learn about your legal rights you should contact an experienced medical malpractice attorney.

But what do you think?  I would love to hear from you!  Leave a comment or I also welcome your phone call on my toll-free cell at 1-866-889-6882 or you can drop me an e-mail at jfisher@fishermalpracticelaw.com .  You are always welcome to request my FREE book, The Seven Deadly Mistakes of Malpractice Victims, at the home page of my website at www.protectingpatientrights.com.