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Anesthesia Medical Malpractice

By Ben Glass

<p>Did you know that a medical error committed by an anesthesiologist can be graver than a medical error committed by a surgeon? As strange as it sounds, the surgeon's blade may not be the most dangerous aspect of a surgical procedure; rather it may be the application of anesthesia. There is no room for error when it comes to anesthesia and even a small mistake can cause serious injury or even death, which could be grounds for a medical malpractice suit.<br /> <br /> <strong>How Anesthesia Medical Malpractice Occurs</strong><br /> <br /> Scientific advances may have decreased the chance of error, but nearly one out of every 200,000 cases of anesthesia medical malpractice is fatal. They typically happen because of basic errors in judgment by the anesthesiologist and can include operating with defective equipment, administering an incorrect dosage and causing an overdose, failure to properly monitor a patient's vital signs, incorrectly intubating a patient, failure to inform a patient of necessary dietary restrictions before and after surgery, and failure to take an adequate patient history resulting in a patient having a negative reaction to an administered drug.<br /> <br /> <strong>Types of Anesthesia</strong><br /> <br /> One of the most important aspects of the job for an anesthesiologist is to select the appropriate type of anesthesia for your surgery. There are three types of anesthesia.<br /> <br /> Local anesthesia involves numbing a localized area of the body, such as a tooth for minor dental surgery. Local anesthesia may be applied via a spray or cream and the effects typically won't last more than two hours.<br /> <br /> Regional anesthesia is the most prevalent form of anesthetic and is typically for minimizing labor pains. It is typically applied to an entire extremity of the body.<br /> <br /> General anesthesia is sometimes referred to as 'going under.' Patients who undergo general anesthesia will retain no memory of the surgical procedure. It is necessary for operations performed on internal organs.<br /> <br /> <strong>Injuries Sustained From Anesthesia Medical Malpractice</strong><br /> <br /> An anesthesiologist's mistake may be minor, but it can have catastrophic consequences such as stroke, heart attack, wrongful death, brain damage, or a collapsed lung.<br /> <br /> <strong>Determining Anesthesia Medical Malpractice</strong><br /> <br /> Medical insurance premiums are higher for anesthesiologists than all other medical specialties, but it can be difficult to actually prove negligence. Securing and preserving all documents and records relating to the surgery are crucial to increasing your likelihood of having your case successfully litigated.<br /> <br /> With the help of an experienced attorney, it is possible to receive compensation for permanent disability, lost companionship, long term care, mental impairment, lost wages, and/or diminished future earning capacity.</p><a href="http://northernvirginia.injuryboard.com/medical-malpractice/anesthesia-medical-malpractice.aspx?googleid=259188">Originally posted</a> at <a href="http://www.InjuryBoard.com">InjuryBoard</a> by <a href="http://www.injuryboard.com/Ben-Glass/">Ben Glass</a>

Full post as published by Northern Virginia Personal Injury Lawyer on May 25, 2009 (boomark / email).