Whenever you have to be put under anesthesia, you know that you are about to undergo a serious surgical procedure. You may rest easier knowing that anesthesia is supposed to ward off any pain you may experience during surgery. But most unfortunately, if it is misused, it may cause you to experience serious pain when you wake up. That said, read on to discover the types of medical complications you may experience after an anesthesia error and how a seasoned New York City anesthesia error attorney at Mark L. Bodner, P.C. can help you rectify this situation.
What types of medical complications come with an anesthesia error?
Regardless of whether you are put under local anesthesia, regional anesthesia, general anesthesia, or conscious sedation, you may experience difficulties during your surgical procedure. This is specifically if you are not administered the right type, dosage, or otherwise. Without further ado, below are examples of serious, if not fatal, medical complications that may come in the aftermath of an anesthesia error:
- You may experience breathing problems during your surgical procedure, which may lead to brain damage.
- You may experience cardiovascular issues during your surgical procedure, which may lead to cardiac arrest and subsequent morbidity or mortality.
- You may experience aspiration of stomach contents during your surgical procedure, which may lead to life-threatening aspiration pneumonitis or pneumonia.
- You may experience anesthesia awareness and be conscious during your surgical procedure, which may lead to long-term anxiety, depression, or post-traumatic stress disorder.
Is it considered medical malpractice to make an anesthesia error?
Administering the wrong type and dosage of anesthesia is undoubtedly considered an anesthesiologist’s mistake; therefore, making the anesthesiologist likely at fault for medical malpractice. The same applies if the anesthesiologist conducted the wrong type of monitoring during the surgical procedure itself (i.e., pulse oximetry, aurway evaluation, respiratory monitoring, and neuromuscular monitoring). However, other medical professionals involved in your healthcare may have committed negligent acts that contributed to this ultimate anesthesia error.
For example, your attending nurse may have failed to record your medical history properly in your patient chart. Or, they may have mixed up your chart with another patient’s. In another example, your attending surgeon may have failed to communicate the type of surgery they were to perform properly with the other medical professionals in the operating room. In any of these cases, your anesthesiologist may have based their calculations for the type and dosage of anesthesia on incorrect information.
Once you determine exactly who caused your surgical procedure to go awry, you may file a medical malpractice claim against them. In conclusion, you must not second-guess your decision to retain the services of a competent New York City hospital negligence attorney. This is because we can guarantee someone at Mark L. Bodner, P.C. can guide you through every step of the way.