Foley Law Firm

Anesthesiology Mistakes: Medical Malpractice Lawsuits

Jan 8, 2018 @ 12:35 PM — by Foley Law Firm
Tagged with: Medical Malpractice Surgical Errors

Medical malpractice cases involve a wide range of potential mistakes, from improper diagnoses to prescription errors. Some of the most frightening and heartrending cases involve surgical errors, especially considering the trust we place in surgeons to protect patients while they are being operated on.

The lawyers at Foley Law Firm have helped countless patients and their loved ones following surgical errors in the greater Scranton, PA region. We’d like to focus on anesthesia errors during surgery. These kinds of lawsuits hold anesthesiologists accountable for mistakes that can have lifelong consequences.

Anesthesia Awareness: Too Little Anesthesia

Anesthesia awareness is one of the most horrifying and traumatizing types of anesthesia mistakes. It occurs when too little anesthesia is administered to a patient. The patient becomes conscious in the middle of surgery, but is paralyzed and unable to speak.

In some instances, the patient hears conversations in the operating room. Patients might even experience severe pain as the procedure is being performed, yet are totally unable to stop the surgeons from what they are doing.

Issues with Too Much Anesthesia

On the reverse side of anesthesia awareness, it’s possible for anesthesiologists to administer too much anesthesia. When too much anesthesia is administered, this can result in long-term issues with nausea, problems with coordination, issues with mental cognition, respiratory problems, hallucinations, seizures, and mental impairment.

In some catastrophic cases of too much anesthesia being administered, patients may fall into a coma or suffer severe brain damage.

Failure to Intubate Patients

Intubation helps patients breathe properly while a surgical procedure is being performed. Failure to properly intubate a patient can lead to major injuries as well as complications during the surgical procedure.

Negligent Monitoring of Patients

A patient’s vital signs must be monitored carefully when anesthesia is administered and while a surgery is being performed. Anesthesiologists can also monitor the patient’s oxygen intake and level of consciousness. Poor monitoring is a sign of negligence.

Poor Communication with Surgical Team

Communication is key during any kind of surgical procedure. Failures in communication could increase the potential risks and dangers of a surgical procedure. For example, an anesthesiologist may not be clear about the patients vitals with other members of a surgical team, which can result in complications, some of which might be life-threatening.

Damages Sought During Medical Malpractice Cases

When seeking a legal action against an anesthesiologist, both compensatory and punitive damages may be sought.

Contact Experienced Medical Malpractice Lawyers

For more information about legal actions against surgeons and medical facilities, be sure to contact our team of medical malpractice attorneys today. A lawyer from Foley Law Firm will work with you and your loved ones in your case.