Tag - Recognizing Malpractice with Anesthesia

Recognizing Malpractice with Anesthesia

Recognizing Malpractice with Anesthesia

Surgery can often be a serious, expensive, and life-threatening procedure. There are so many factors that go into monitoring a patient during surgery that you have one whole person dedicated to managing anesthesia. Administering anesthesia can be tricky for individuals undergoing their first surgery because everyone can have a different reaction to different types of anesthesia. Many patients will experience temporary side effects afterward, but for those who suffer severe effects that last a significant period of time, malpractice may be the cause. Talk to an Oklahoma medical negligence lawyer if you suspect this happened to you.  

Basics of Anesthesia

Anesthesia is used during surgeries to numb the sensation of pain and put the patient to sleep until the operation is finished. However, some anesthetics may only numb the pain without inducing sleep. This is common in dental and brain surgeries.  

The different types of anesthetics include general, local, and regional anesthetics. Each serves a different Recognizing Malpractice with Anesthesiapurpose and different types may be administered depending on the patient’s history of allergic reactions. General anesthesia is used for the entire body for major surgeries. This drug can be given through an IV or a gas. Some people can experience side effects that take a few days to wear off. 

 Local anesthetics function the same way as regional anesthetics, they block pain in a specific area. Sleep is not induced with these anesthetics and side effects are rare. The main difference between local and regional anesthetics is that local anesthetics block pain in smaller areas. Regional anesthetics can block pain in an entire leg.  

Side effects are one thing to expect from certain anesthetics, but when you start experiencing debilitating effects that seem to go on for several days or longer, you may want to consult with a lawyer with malpractice experience.  

Malpractice Effects of Anesthesia 

Different anesthetics can cause different effects when administered improperly. Postoperative delirium happens when upon awakening, a person experiences lapses in attention, hallucinations, confusion, and memory problems. In some cases, this may indicate an anesthetic error. 

Other potential signs of an anesthetic or medical error include long-term memory loss, malignant hyperthermia, problems with urination, and pneumonia. Signs of malignant hyperthermia are a high fever with muscle contractions. These are all more common with general anesthetics.

Local anesthetics are less likely to lead to serious effects, but there have been some cases of things like nerve damage, collapsed lungs, low blood pressure, and seizures. Many of these, like seizures and low blood pressure, can be life-threatening.  

Medical Negligent Attorney in Oklahoma 

Going through prolonged side effects after waking up from surgery can be distressful for almost anyone. If this happened to you, consider talking to an experienced Oklahoma personal injury lawyer who can help you figure out what happened and whether medical malpractice was the cause. You could be eligible to receive compensation for emotional distress, medical expenses, and lost wages. Contact the Law Firm of Griffin Reynolds at (405) 721-9500 today for a free consultation. We will investigate your situation to explore what options you have.