Anesthesia Malpractice
Anesthesia errors can be made by an anesthesiologist or an certified registered nurse anesthetist (CRNA) who administers anesthesia. Anesthesia malpractice can occur in a variety of different settings, and in a variety of different ways.
Deaths during surgery may be the result of anesthesia malpractice. A death in the operating room is often never explained to family members. What happened in the operating room may never be fully or accurately described in the medical records and may be kept a secret, undisclosed by doctors and nurses involved. “What happens in the operating room stays in the operating room” is an unfortunate truism in many cases. Doctors and nurses may even collaborate on what is to be the “party line” in explaining what happened in the operating room when something goes wrong. In these situations, the medical records may be totally unrevealing as to what really took place. This can cause extreme stress to family members, and can hinder any investigation or lawsuit that is initiated with respect to the incident
One example of anesthesia malpractice is the anesthesiologist or CRNA using the wrong type of anesthesia, or administering excessive anesthesia. This is one of the most serious anesthesia errors and may cause brain damage, profound and permanent disability and death. Another type of anesthesia malpractice is failing to properly put a patient under anesthesia (improper induction), resulting in vomiting, aspiration of gastric contents and a host of complications up to and including cardiac arrest and death.
Anesthesia malpractice may also occur in connection with failing to properly manage administration of blood, fluids and medications during the operation, again leading to serious injury or death. Improper positioning of patients during surgery, usually the combined responsibility of the anesthesiologist and the surgeon and especially during prolonged operations, can also result in serious injury or death. Anesthesiologists also have a duty to intervene on behalf of a patient and to actually refuse to participate in, and therefore prevent, an operation which the anesthesiologist knows or should know is not necessary or is too dangerous under the circumstances. Anesthesiologists also are responsible for making sure that patients have fully recovered from anesthesia and are safe to transfer or discharge postoperatively.
In some cases, a hospital will have participated in anesthesia malpractice. This may occur if the hospital has inadequate and improper policies and procedures in effect, if a hospital fails to adequately investigate and hires unqualified or dangerous anesthesiologists and CRNAs providing anesthesia to its patients, and if the hospital fails to have proper medications and equipment available. Here are some examples of medical malpractice cases involving anesthesia:
- A young man who underwent heart surgery which was unnecessary under the circumstances. The anesthesiologist and the hospital were sued for failing to stop the operation.
- A young boy underwent a tonsillectomy, and sustained brain damage due to a CRNA administering the wrong type of anesthesia.
- An elderly woman died shortly after spine surgery. The hospital and the anesthesiologist were sued for allowing an unnecessary operation to be preformed, failing to recognize serious risk factors and failing to properly treat breathing difficulties in the recovery room.
In consultation with anesthesiologists, CRNA’s and other physicians, the Sweeney Law Firm will work with medical specialists to analyze medical records, x-rays and other sources of information to determine if there was anesthesia malpractice. If so, the Sweeney Law Firm may be able to recover money damages to help pay medical expenses, lost income, rehabilitation expenses and other costs, as well as compensate you and your family for emotional and physical pain and suffering and other damages which may occur in cases of anesthesia malpractice.
Call the Sweeney Law Firm at 260-420-3137 or Toll Free at 866-793-6339. Get answers to your questions. Learn your legal rights. There is no cost or obligation to have us evaluate your case.
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Fort Wayne, Indiana Personal Injury, Medical Malpractice Lawyers & Attorneys
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