Permanent Brain Damage From Anesthesia Errors

When we need surgery, we put ourselves completely in the hands of medical professionals, knowing that we will be deeply unconscious and unable to protect ourselves from harm. Instead, we rely on the doctor, surgical team, and anesthesiologist to carefully adhere to the medical community’s accepted standard of care, not only to treat the ailment or injury but also to avoid causing further harm. Unfortunately, sometimes medical providers breach their duty of care, including anesthesiologists. While rare, one of the most devastating effects of anesthesia errors during surgery is brain damage.

In these situations, victims and their families may have legal options with the help of an experienced Phoenix medical malpractice lawyer who understands how anesthesia errors violate accepted medical standards and lead to life-altering injuries.

What Types of Anesthesia Errors Can Cause Brain Damage?

Fortunately, the vast majority of surgeries are successfully completed, including the safe administration of anesthesia throughout the procedure. Still, studies show that the anesthesia mortality rate is 0.4/100,000, and this number only represents those who died from their anesthesia injury, not those who survived an injury like brain damage, caused by improperly administered anesthesia or the lack of adequate patient monitoring.

The types of anesthesia errors that could result in brain damage include the following:

• Failure to monitor oxygen levels
• Low oxygen levels, or a lack of oxygen to the brain
• Anesthesia medication mistakes, such as administering the wrong type or wrong dosage of medication, or administering an anesthetic to a person who is allergic to it
• Aspiration, or inhaling vomit while under general anesthesia, resulting in airway blockage
• Improper intubation, causing airway blockage and loss of oxygen to the brain

Another study indicates anesthesia injury rates range from 0.02% to 1.12%, or from 1 in 90 to 1 in 5000 anesthesia administrations. When an anesthesia error occurs, it can result in respiratory distress, hypoxia, hypotension (low blood pressure), stroke, or cardiac arrest—all conditions that may cause permanent brain damage.

Why Do Anesthesia Errors Occur?

Medical mistakes occur when providers depart from the medical community’s accepted standard of care. Most anesthesia errors result from the following:

• Inadequate training or insufficient safety protocols
• Communication failures between members of the surgical staff
• Equipment failures due to defective equipment or improper maintenance
• Anesthesiologist fatigue, burnout, or impairment
• Scheduling or time constraints

Substitution errors in which the wrong anesthesia medication is administered to the surgical patient, and wrong dosage mistakes are the most common types of anesthesia errors, while hypoxia, or lack of oxygen flow to the brain, is the most common anesthesia error to result in brain damage. A Phoenix anesthesia error lawyer who has access to well-respected physicians who will review your medical records for evidence of wrongdoing and who will testify on your behalf.

Symptoms of Brain Damage After Anesthesia

It’s normal to feel unwell for hours or even days after anesthesia, including feeling sleepy, dizzy, weak, lethargic, or anxious; however, some symptoms after surgery can be a red flag, indicating a need for further testing to determine whether or not the patient suffered a brain injury. Symptoms that post-surgical patients or their family members should watch for include the following:

• Coma
• Seizures
• Inability to awaken
• Dilated pupils
• Slurred speech
• Problems with balance and coordination
• Confusion/memory problems
• Changes in mood or behavior

It’s crucial to tell a medical professional immediately if you or a loved one experiences symptoms of brain damage or other injury resulting from anesthesia errors.

Recovering Damages After a Brain Injury From Anesthesia In Phoenix

Arizona’s personal injury laws allow victims of medical malpractice to recover compensation for their losses by filing a medical malpractice claim. Under Arizona 12-542, the injury victim has up to two years from the date the malpractice occurred or was discovered to file a claim for their damages.

Damages in anesthesia brain injury cases include past and future medical expenses, lost wages, reduced earning ability due to disability, compensation for pain and suffering, compensation for diminished quality of life, or wrongful death compensation to the family members of a deceased victim of medical malpractice.