A Wichita Lawyer Explains the Best Ways to Avoid Anesthesia Errors
It’s not unusual to receive anesthesia for a medical procedure. Patients may receive local anesthesia for minor surgery. They remain alert. In surgeries that are more complicated, patients may be given general anesthesia and become unconscious.
If administered properly, anesthesia does the critically important job of removing the natural response to pain. Sometimes, anesthesiologists make mistakes and the consequences of their errors can be catastrophic.
How common are anesthesia mistakes?
Medication errors using anesthesia are more common than many people might realize, according to an article in Science Direct. A drug administration error occurred in 0.75 percent of procedures involving anesthesia, according to one study detailed by Science Direct. That means a mistake was made in one out of 133 anesthesia procedures.
Here are the most common drug errors that occur during surgery:
- Wrong medication administered
- Overdosing
- Anesthesia is given to wrong part of the body
- Underdosing
- Omission or failing to perform the appropriate action
Do I have an anesthesia error claim?
Drug errors are unforgiving. Even a small mistake can lead to any number of serious health outcomes, from strokes and brain damage to death. If the anesthesiologist acted negligently, you may have a medical malpractice claim. Science Direct reports that clinicians should be more vigilant to avoid errors. Medication errors often start with a human error or a systemic problem in a hospital.
Astonishingly, safety protocols in the delivery of anesthesia have remained the same for the past 60 years, despite major advances in technology. Authors of the Science Direct report call for medical providers “to incorporate electronic and digital concepts to encourage evolution of anesthesia-related drug delivery system.”
Working with a medical malpractice attorney
Pursuing a claim against a negligent anesthesiologist can be a difficult process. The medical professional who made the error may deny any wrongdoing. There may be finger-pointing. The insurance company for the hospital may try to get you to accept a quick settlement that may not begin to cover the full scope of your losses.
With so much at stake, it’s critical to have an experienced attorney at your side, working with you every step of the way. Contact the medical malpractice attorneys at the Warner Law Offices in Wichita for a free consultation. With over 25 years’ experience, we know how to fight for our clients and help them obtain the justice they deserve.