Anesthesia errors can lead to serious consequences for patients, ranging from minor discomfort to life-threatening complications.
Understanding the common causes of medical malpractice related to anesthesia errors is crucial for knowing when you have the right to take legal action.
1. Inadequate preoperative assessment
One of the leading causes of anesthesia-related malpractice is inadequate preoperative assessment. This includes failure to review the patient’s medical history, allergies, current medications and any preexisting conditions that may impact the administration of anesthesia. Without a comprehensive assessment, anesthesiologists may overlook critical information that could influence their decisions during the procedure and harm a patient.
2. Medication errors
Errors in medication administration, including incorrect dosages or improper drug selection, can result in adverse reactions or complications for the patient. Anesthesiologists must carefully calculate and administer the appropriate medications based on the patient’s weight, medical history and other factors. Failure to do so can lead to anesthesia overdose, allergic reactions or drug interactions.
3. Monitoring failures
Proper vital signs and anesthesia monitoring are essential throughout the surgical procedure. Monitoring failures, such as inadequate supervision or not responding to the change in the patient’s condition can result in complications such as hypoxia, hypotension or anesthesia awareness.
4. Equipment malfunctions
Malfunctioning anesthesia equipment, such as ventilators or monitoring devices, can pose significant risks to surgery patients. Equipment failures may result from inadequate maintenance, calibration errors or defective components. Anesthesiologists should conduct thorough equipment checks before each procedure to identify and address potential issues that could compromise patient safety.
Sometimes, the anesthesiologist causes equipment malfunction. In other cases, it is the equipment manufacturer’s responsibility. In either case, you may have a viable legal claim. Patients need to understand their rights and when they have been malpractice victims. Reviewing the information here can help determine whether they have a viable claim.