Anesthesia errors: The dangers of this medical mistake

Although the early stages of surgery tend to be seen as the safest, they can often be the most dangerous for some people. If you’ve ever been prepped for surgery in North Carolina or anywhere around the country, you’re likely to see a person administering your anesthesia. His or her job is incredibly important because he or she must provide you with enough anesthesia to put you to sleep but not so much that it will harm you.

Unfortunately, as routine as this procedure is, things can go very wrong. Read on to learn further about common anesthesia errors.

Consequences of an anesthesia error

When one hears about an error in dosage amounts relating to anesthesia, he or she may simply think that the person is going to sleep longer than they should. Unfortunately, that is the least of the problems that could go wrong. Hospital errors involving anesthesia are amongst the most severe, and they can cause:

• Brain damage
• Coma
• Heart attack
• Death

Types of anesthesia & their potential harm

Local anesthesia is possibly the most common of these and is deemed to be the safest. However, it doesn’t come without risks. Systemic toxicity can occur when too much has been administered, and thus, functions such as lung power reduce. The second includes regional anesthesia, which can cause nerve damage if the anesthesiologist does not properly inject it into a patient. Lastly is general anesthesia. As a result of general anesthesia errors, a person’s throat may begin to close, and he or she will require a breathing tube to breathe.

As you can see from the medical information above, many things can go wrong with anesthesia. If you’ve been a victim of this type of medical error, it is important to immediately consult with a legal team.