People who have surgery are usually placed under general anesthesia, which means that they have to place their trust in the anesthesiologist. It’s used to keep the patient unconscious, control pain, support breathing and relax muscles. Because the medications affect all bodily systems, errors before, during or after surgery can have significant effects on the patient.
Anesthesia errors don’t all fall neatly into one category. Instead, they can involve improper medication dosage, airway management or patient monitoring. In some cases, the issue is a failure to communicate amongst the surgical team members.
Timeouts before surgery are critical
While many people think of timeouts before surgery as a way to stop surgery on the wrong body part or patient, it’s also important for the anesthesiologist to participate in the timeout. This is a chance for them to review medication allergies and current medications, including over-the-counter medications and herbal supplements. They should also review the patient’s medical history and find out if the patient followed the fasting instructions prior to the surgery.
Monitoring must be constant
Throughout the surgery and until the patient is lucid after the surgery, monitoring is necessary. The anesthesiologist must ensure they’re giving the proper amounts of each medication because too much can depress breathing or circulation, but too little could lead the patient to wake up during the surgery.
Airway management and proper monitoring of the heart rate are also important. Major shifts in these or any other vital signs could mean that a complication is occurring. Failing to address those issues could lead to significant harm or death.
Victims of anesthesia errors may opt to pursue a claim for compensation based on medical malpractice. These cases are complex and may require considerable expert testimony. Working with someone familiar with these cases is beneficial for the victim.