Before undergoing surgery, many patients feel anxious about the risks of anesthesia. An error in the administration of anesthesia can result in severe injury, and sometimes death.

There are a variety of injuries that can occur due to errors in administering anesthesia during surgery. If a patient is improperly positioned during anesthesia administration, nerve damage can result. More serious injuries can occur if there is a failure to maintain the patient’s airway. Such an error can lead to brain damage or injury to the teeth, throat, neck, or lungs. A patient’s airway can become torn or damaged if proper care is not used. In some cases, patients can experience vision loss due to errors in the administration of anesthesia. Additionally, an overdose of anesthesia can have severe consequences. Patients who receive too much anesthesia can experience brain damage, stroke, or heart attack. On the other hand, if too little anesthesia is administered, a patient may perceive all the pain of surgery without being able to communicate with surgical staff.

In some situations, a failure to monitor a patient properly before and during surgery can cause patient injury. It is important to monitor a patient’s vital signs throughout surgery. Additionally, an anesthesiologist must ensure that the patient receives a sufficient amount of oxygen during the surgery.

Prior to administering anesthesia and surgery, a thorough examination of the patient’s medical history is necessary to identify potential risks. If an anesthesiologist fails to identify drug interactions, drug allergies, or potential complications due, for example, to obesity prior to surgery, the patient may incur severe injury. In rare circumstances, anesthesia errors can even result in death.

If you or a loved one has been injured as the result of an anesthesia error, make sure you have an experienced New Jersey medical malpractice attorney on your side.