Anesthesia Errors

Representation from a San Diego Medical Malpractice Lawyer

Anesthesia is a powerful drug that can completely remove the feeling in the patient to whom it is administered. There are two major types of anesthesia: general and local. General anesthesia is used in major surgeries so that a patient is unconscious and unable to feel during the procedure. Local anesthesia is used on a certain part of the body so that the patient is not sensitive to pain.

Anesthesia is such a powerful substance that a specialized physician, known as an anesthesiologist, must be the one to administer the medication safely based on the length of the surgery, the size of the patient and other factors. Mistakes in administering anesthesia can easily lead to patient error. If you or someone you love was injured in this way, a San Diego medical malpractice attorney from our firm may be able to assist.

Injury and Illness Caused by Anesthesia Error

There are many risk factors when using anesthesia. One is the risk of infection. The equipment used to administer the anesthesia, if it is not properly sanitized, can hold bacteria and other contaminants that can lead to serious patient harm. Not only does the method for administering anesthesia pose a potential risk to patients, but the actual anesthetic itself can lead to patient injury if anesthesiologists and other physicians are not careful.

Because of the power of this drug, the patient's vitals must be constantly monitored. Too much anesthesia can result in dangerous health effects for the patients and too little anesthesia puts the patient at risk for waking up during the procedure. Improperly administered anesthesia can result in heart attack, psychological trauma, stroke and even death.