When Can Anesthesia Errors Result in Injuries to Patients?

 Posted on November 24, 2021 in Medical Malpractice

There are many ways that medical negligence can cause patients to suffer serious injuries. In some cases, patients may be harmed due to medication errors, including situations where a patient experiences an allergic reaction to a medication or when drugs are administered at the incorrect dose. Errors related to anesthesia can be especially harmful, and they may cause a patient to suffer long-lasting harm, or they may even lead to a person’s wrongful death. 

Errors Involving Different Types of Anesthesia

Different methods of anesthesia may be used to minimize pain and discomfort during a medical procedure or ensure that a patient will remain unconscious during surgery. Errors may be made by anesthesiologists or other medical professionals when administering different types of anesthesia, including:

• Local anesthesia - During a minor procedure, injections may be administered to numb pain and sensation in certain parts of the body. If these injections are not performed properly, they may cause nerve damage that may lead to a permanent loss of sensation and mobility in the part of the body that was affected. If a medical provider fails to properly review a person’s medical history, the patient may experience an allergic reaction to a local anesthetic, and this may lead to issues such as swelling around the injection site, reduced blood pressure, abnormal heart rhythm, respiratory failure, or cardiac arrest.
• Regional anesthesia - Certain procedures may require a nerve block that will reduce or eliminate pain and sensation in large parts of the body. For example, an epidural may be used during childbirth to reduce pain and sensation in the lower body. Regional anesthesia is often administered through injections in the spine. If these injections are not performed correctly, a patient may experience a dangerous infection, or they may suffer nerve damage that may lead to partial or total paralysis in different parts of the body. Patients may also be at risk of harm due to allergic reactions or bleeding in and around the spinal column.
• General anesthesia - During major surgical procedures, a patient will usually be administered drugs that cause them to become unconscious, ensuring that they will not feel any pain. In some cases, general anesthesia may cause a reaction known as malignant hyperthermia, which involves muscle contractions and fever and could potentially lead to death. Anesthesia that is administered incorrectly may result in breathing problems, causing a person to suffer brain damage or other issues due to a lack of oxygen. Some patients may also experience postoperative cognitive dysfunction, which may lead to problems with memory or intellectual disorders. Other side effects of general anesthesia may include strokes or fluctuations in blood pressure, and these may occur because drugs were administered at the wrong doses or because an anesthesiologist did not respond correctly to distress experienced by a patient.

Contact Our Bloomington Anesthesia Error Attorneys

If you have suffered harm because anesthesia or other drugs were administered incorrectly during a medical procedure, Kanoski Bresney can help you take the correct steps to recover financial compensation for your injuries and damages. We will work to hold a negligent medical provider responsible for all of the ways you and your family have been affected. Contact our Peoria medical malpractice lawyers today at 888-826-8682 to set up your free consultation.

Sources:

https://www.verywellhealth.com/anesthesia-and-surgery-3157215

https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/treatments/15286-anesthesia

https://www.healthline.com/health/anesthesia-allergy