Memphis Medical Malpractice Lawyers Advocating for Those Injured from Anesthesia Errors

Fighting for the rights of the injured throughout Tennessee

There are risks any time you go under the knife for a surgical procedure.  While countless surgeries proceed without incident, sometimes complications arise because of anesthesia errors. Anesthesia drugs have made modern surgery possible, but if not administered properly, and if the patient is not monitored carefully, there is plenty of room for catastrophic mistakes that can cause serious injuries or death.

At Bailey & Greer, PLLC, we are here to protect the rights of those who have been injured, or who have lost loved ones because of anesthesia errors before, during, or after surgery. Schedule a consultation with one of our compassionate Memphis medical malpractice attorneys to discuss your case and receive legal guidance on how to recover compensation for your losses.

What are the common types of anesthesia used in surgery?

While your surgeon is responsible for conducting the operation or the surgical procedure, the anesthesiologist will administer the anesthesia, they will monitor your vitals during surgery and when you are waking up after surgery. There are a few different forms of anesthesia including the following:

• Local anesthesia is an analgesic given as an injection to stop the pain in a specific area of the body for minor procedures. You will remain conscious.
• Regional anesthesia numbs the part of the body that will undergo the surgery while you remain conscious. The different types of regional anesthesia include spinal or epidural anesthetic.
• General anesthesia induces unconsciousness during the surgical procedure. The patient may inhale the anesthetic through a breathing mask or tube or through an intravenous line. A breathing tube may also be inserted to maintain breathing and keep the airway clear during surgery. After surgery, the anesthesiologist stops the anesthetic and monitors your recovery.

(Hopkins Medicine)

What can go wrong? Examples of anesthesia errors.

There can be complications with anesthesia, many of which are preventable. Here are some examples of preventable anesthesia errors:

• Overdose of anesthesia medication
• Failure to adequately monitor the patient
• Improper insertion of the breathing tube
• Adverse drug interactions
• Failure to administer adequate oxygen during surgery
• Administering the wrong anesthesia drug
• Defective or malfunctioning medical device used in administering the anesthesia drugs