The patient, having been put under general anesthetic, was unaware that the anesthesiologist had left the surgery – she did not realize that there was not even a nurse anesthetist present when her blood pressure began to fall. In fact, the patient never regained consciousness.

Anesthesia is often taken for granted. Patients are "put under" and children "put to sleep" before surgery. General anesthetic is administered to a patient who does not fully understand the increased risk of general over local anesthetic. Yet there are serious risks. A dosage formula based on a patient's weight does not take into account the patient's hyper-sensitivity to the drug. Without careful monitoring by an experienced and well-trained anesthesiologist the patient might experience dangerous, even fatal over-sedation. The patient might suffer post-intubation airway obstruction resulting in asphyxiation.
In some cases the anesthesiologist failed to monitor the patient's respiration and heart rate, vital signs that warn of a potentially fatal reaction while it could still be reversed and result in permanent brain damage or death. In other cases the doctor responsible for administering anesthetic did not take the time to perform a thorough pre-operative exam and interview, including testing for allergies or adverse reactions.

If a member of your family has been seriously injured or has died during surgery, and you feel it may be a result of an anesthesia error you may have a medical malpractice claim. A member of our firm will be happy to discuss your situation. Contact Dinizulu Law Group, Ltd. at (312) 782-4117 for an initial consultation.