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Medical Malpractice
Attorneys And Trained
Medical
Professionals

Trust our firm to deliver exceptional client service no matter how complex your medical malpractice case is.

Monitoring is critical when a patient is under anesthesia

On Behalf of | Feb 25, 2022 | Surgical Errors

A patient under anesthesia must put their trust in the medical team caring for them. They can’t speak up if there’s something amiss. It’s up to the nurses, anesthesiologist and others in the room to ensure the patient is in good condition. 

There are many different ways they can monitor the patient. There should be someone dedicated to watching the patient’s vital signs so they can spot issues quickly. Some problems that can occur under anesthesia can be corrected quickly without harm to the patient — but only when the medical team is being observant. Delays in response times can be catastrophic.

What type of monitoring is common when a patient is under anesthesia?

Patients usually have a pulse oximeter to track the amount of oxygen in their blood, a blood pressure cuff to track the amount of pressure in the arteries, and an electrocardiogram to monitor their hearts. They may also have equipment attached to monitor the carbon dioxide in their body and their temperature. 

While those monitoring tools aren’t invasive, there are times when invasive ones are needed, including things like catheters. It’s imperative that the team in the operating room takes the patient’s medical history and needs into account to determine the best way to monitor their vital signs. 

Patients who aren’t monitored properly when they’re under anesthesia can suffer untold harm from their medical team’s negligence. Anesthesia errors are something that can always be avoided with the proper care. If this has happened to you or your loved one, you have every right to pursue compensation for your losses.