Common Anesthesia Errors

One of the main causes of medical malpractice lawsuits is as a result of anesthesia errors. When anesthesia errors occur that result in the injury, harm or death of a patient a victim or their family may file a medical malpractice lawsuit. This article will discuss some of the common causes of anesthesia errors resulting in medical malpractice lawsuits.

There are a number of common causes of anesthesia errors resulting in medical malpractice cases. Some of these include the following:

• Inattention with the doctor – it is possible that the anesthetist may not pay enough attention to something, which could include: –
  • the numbers necessary to keep the medication flowing properly,
  • patient to monitor signs of awareness or dosage amounts.

Any inattention by the doctor could lead to errors in anesthesia which could also harm the patient at some point. If the person receiving the treatment is aware during surgery this could cause trauma and distress. Such an error can also lead to medical malpractice against the doctor or the hospital.

• Inaccurate dosage – another common error is in the administering of medication to the patient. The error is associated with the dosage, the type of anesthesia or some other factor that can cause injury or harm to the person receiving the drug. Such errors in dosage could cause damage to the organs or tissues in the person’s body. In other situations, they could lead to the death of the patient and a review of the situation could determine that the doctor was at fault and is liable for wrongful death.
• Incorrect procedure – there are incidents where the doctor involved in the treatment options for the patient makes the mistake with the procedure needed. While some patients may need to go through surgery others may need a different treatment option. However, the anesthesia error exists through the incorrect procedure performed on the patient. Such issues arise due to misdiagnosis[https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/misdiagnosis] or a mistake in the paperwork that can lead to surgery when there is no need. As a result, patients will suffer greatly because of such mistakes.
• Failing to follow standards – doctors are required to follow standard protocols with a surgical procedure which includes the duty of care to the patient and attention to detail. Some guidelines also involve specific processes permitted for the treatment option and what the doctor should do when certain situations arise. For example, if the patient becomes aware during anesthesia or has an allergic reaction. When the doctor cannot or does not follow such standards, this opens the doctor or the hospital to liability and rises to medical malpractice.
• Human error – this can happen when a doctor administers too little or too much anesthesia due to errors in judgement or poor decision-making. It may be where the doctor delays the necessary delivery of medication resulting in injury, trauma or distress. The doctor may fail to recognize and observe allergic reactions that could result in injury or death to the patient. Other errors include medication directed to the incorrect location of the body.

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