Anesthesia is administered to patients to prevent pain during various types of medical procedures, such as surgery and dental care. Upon administration, anesthesia gets the patient either to a semi-conscious or totally unconscious state, thus, allowing the healthcare provider to perform a procedure that would otherwise bring significant pain and discomfort to the patient.

Sadly, anesthesia errors do occur. While some anesthesia errors result in mild effects that easily go away after a couple of days or weeks, others can have life-altering consequences. If you or someone you love has suffered injuries following anesthesia errors, you may be eligible for compensation through an Ohio medical malpractice claim.

So, what are two of the most common anesthesia errors?

1. Dosage errors

There are two forms of anesthesia dosage errors: anesthesia underdose and anesthesia overdose. Anesthesia dosage errors happen when the anesthesiologist is inexperienced, careless or even unfamiliar with the equipment. Anesthesia underdose can lead to a condition known as anesthesia awareness. Besides the pain, this can also leave the patient traumatized. Anesthesia overdose, on the other hand, can lead to a range of consequences such as hallucination, hypothermia, dementia, seizures, prolonged unconsciousness, organ damage and even death.

2. Failing to monitor the patient’s vital signs

Anesthesia affects the patient’s cardiovascular, respiratory and central nervous systems. Part of the anesthesiologist’s job includes monitoring the patient’s response to anesthesia to ensure that the patient’s vital signs are working and that the medical procedure is going smoothly. Failure to monitor the patient’s vital signs can lead to serious injuries to the patient.

If you or someone you love has been a victim of anesthesia negligence, you need to file a medical malpractice claim against the anesthesiologist within one year from the date of the injury. An experienced attorney can provide the help you need to get started.