Mismanagement Of Anesthesia During Surgery Can Cause Severe Injuries And Death
The anesthesiology team plays a critical role in surgery, keeping the patient sedated but breathing. Disruption of that equilibrium can have devastating results, from waking during the operation to permanent brain damage or death.
Hospitals are not always forthcoming when mistakes occur during surgical procedures. They may dismiss the adverse outcome as a “normal risk of surgery.” The attorneys of Goldsmith & Goldsmith, LLP, are skilled at uncovering the truth. We have identified anesthesiology errors and held medical providers accountable for medical malpractice damages.
Our Bergen County law firm handles anesthesia and surgery malpractice cases against individual practitioners, professional associations (anesthesiology groups), hospitals and outpatient surgery centers in New Jersey and neighboring areas of New York.
Holding The Anesthesia Team Accountable
In many surgeries, an anesthesiologist (M.D.) puts the patient under and brings the patient back to consciousness, but hands over monitoring to a nurse anesthetist (CRNA) during the operation. The anesthesiologist may oversee several overlapping surgeries in different operating rooms. Both professionals may be accountable when something goes wrong in the operating room or in post-operative recovery. Was the patient given the wrong dosage? Did someone improperly adjust the controls? Who was watching the patient’s vital signs? Did that person intervene promptly and respond correctly to patient distress?
Anesthesia errors can involve:
- Cardiac arrest and heart damage
- Brain damage from oxygen deprivation
- Embolisms and stroke
- Allergic reaction to local and general anesthetic
- Traumatic awareness or sensation (pain) during surgery
- Falling injuries or heart attack when a groggy patient is prematurely discharged
Trial lawyer Lee S. Goldsmith (M.D.) is a licensed physician who can assess whether medical professionals deviated from the standard of care. He is skilled at reading electronic printouts, such as feedback from the anesthesia apparatus, against the medical records and the outcome.
A Long Record Of Success In Malpractice Litigation
We have the medical background, resources and courtroom skills to hold medical providers responsible for preventable tragedies. If you suspect malpractice, call us at 201-429-7892 to arrange a free consultation, or use our online form to describe your situation.