Understanding Anesthesia Malpractice Cases

Understanding Anesthesia Malpractice Cases

Our Mount Prospect Anesthesia Malpractice Lawyers Are Here For You.

Anesthesia is extremely important for almost any type of surgery, but it is also one area of medical practice that is among the most susceptible to mistakes. Negligence by an anesthesiologist may result in severe injury, or possibly even death.

What is Anesthesia?

Anesthesia may be administered generally, which puts patients completely under for the entire procedure, or it may be administered regionally or locally. If anesthesia is administered to a smaller region of the body, the patient remains awake during the procedure, but is unable to feel anything in the area where the anesthetic has been administered.

Anesthesiologists must be aware of the vital signs of patients at all times. This means knowing when to when to change how much anesthesia is being administered if the patient appears to be having health issues. Because of the sensitive nature of anesthesiology, anesthesiologists undergo specific training in their field before practicing.

Sources of Anesthesia Malpractice

Physicians must receive informed consent before administering anesthesia. Failing to inform a patient before a surgery that anesthesia will be used during the procedure is the source of malpractice in many cases involving anesthesia. Patients are entitled to be informed about the risks of anesthesia and how long they will be under.

Other anesthesia malpractice cases arise because equipment is not properly inspected before the procedure begins, or physicians fail to take a patient’s entire medical history to determine how much anesthesia should be administered.

During the procedure, physicians may be negligent in administering anesthesia or intubating the patient. In many cases, the anesthesiologist does not adequately monitor the vital signs of the patient, or does not adequately respond to a medical emergency while the patient is unconscious.

Injuries Caused by Anesthesia Malpractice

The most common documented injuries from medical negligence while a patient is under the effects of anesthesia include nausea and vomiting, confusion, damage to teeth as a result of improper intubation, throat or larynx damages, pneumonia, breathing difficulties, and allergic reactions. In more serious cases, patients have suffered strokes, nerve damage, heart attacks, brain damage, and anesthesia awareness, a condition that leaves them awake and aware of everything a surgeon is doing during the surgery.

Pursuing an Anesthesia Malpractice Lawsuit

Anesthesia a necessary part of many major surgeries. Indeed, it makes most operations much easier to perform, but involuntarily losing consciousness is always risky, even in the best controlled environments. But as with all medical procedures, medical health professionals owe their patients of duty care while performing medical surgeries involving anesthesia, and if that duty is breached, you may have a medical malpractice claim. If you believe you suffered an injury as a result of medical malpractice involving anesthesia, the medical malpractice attorneys at SAM LAW OFFICE LLC may be able to help you file a claim in the Illinois court system.