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Failure to Monitor by Anesthesiologist

January 7, 2022

A frequent medical error happens when a physician with an obligation to monitor a patient fails to do so. This is one of the primary tasks of an anesthesiologist— a doctor who evaluates, monitors, and supervises patient care before, during, and after surgery. An anesthesiologist delivers anesthesia and leads the anesthesia care team, which is tasked with making certain a patient receives optimal patient safety.
Overseeing a patient’s condition, watching him or her for signs of trouble, and reacting in a timely manner to potential problems are all components of the anesthesiologist’s obligation to provide a reasonable quality of care to a patient. Anesthesia is a critical part of a procedure to prevent patients from experiencing pain.

Before a medical procedure requiring anesthesia, the anesthesiologist must review the patient’s medical record, including the patient’s history, prior medications, allergies, and time requirements of the operation to determine the best combination of drugs to use.

Anesthesiologist Errors and Negligence

If an anesthesiologist fails to provide a proper standard of care, he or she can be held accountable for any resulting injuries. The standard of care is measured by the level of care that a physician in the same field would provide. To prove medical malpractice by an anesthesiologist, a patient must demonstrate that the provider did not meet the standard of care. This means that the injured party will need to have evidence of what other similarly trained anesthesiologists would have done under the same circumstances.

Anesthesia errors can happen at any time during the procedure—pre-operative, during surgery, or immediately after. The cause of anesthesiology malpractice is a failure to recognize the signals that show that a patient is in danger.

Here are a few of the most common anesthesia errors that cause harm:

  • Administering the incorrect amount of anesthesia (too much or too little);
  • Administering the wrong type of anesthesia;
  • Delaying the delivery of anesthesia;
  • Failing to recognize adverse drug reactions;
  • Failing to recognize an allergic reaction;
  • Failing to properly monitor a patient during surgery;
  • Shutting off the alarm on the pulse oximeter;
  • Failure to intubate the patient;
  • Ignoring the effects of patient positioning during a procedure;
  • Using defective anesthesia equipment; and
  • Not providing the proper instruction to the patient before or after surgery.

What Can happen if an Anesthesiologist Fails to Monitor the Patient?

The consequences of an anesthesiologist’s failure to monitor a patient can be extremely severe, depending on the patient’s condition and what the physician failed to detect. However, in any situation where a patient experiences adverse consequences because of an anesthesiologist’s failure to monitor, the provider can be held responsible for all of the patient’s damages arising from the omission.

Some of the injuries that can result from Anesthesiologist negligence include:

  • Brain damage;
  • Asphyxia;
  • Damage to the trachea;
  • Spinal cord injury resulting in paralysis;
  • Nerve damage resulting in limb numbness or loss of functionality;
  • Coma; and
  • Wrongful death.

Contact a Michigan Medical Negligence Attorney

If you or someone you know has recently suffered an injury that may be medical negligence in regards to anesthesia resulting in injury or death, speak with an experienced and knowledgeable anesthesia injury attorney in Michigan immediately to protect your interests or those of your loved one.
Buchanan Firm retains medical professionals who are available to immediately investigate your claim to determine if the deviation was caused by medical negligence. Buchanan Firm’s team of professionals with legal and medical knowledge are there to help and assist you in this difficult time.

Our Michigan medical malpractice lawyers proudly serve people all across Michigan, including major cities like Grand Rapids, Muskegon, Detroit, Lansing, Holland, St. Joe, and Ann Arbor, and rural towns such as Lowell, Ada, Fremont, Newaygo, Grand Haven, Rockford, and Cedar Springs. We will meet you after-hours, at home or in the hospital to accommodate you.