Anesthesia and Airway Management
There are many risks a patient faces when being placed under general anesthesia before a medical procedure. Unfortunately, in many cases the potential dangers from anesthetics and their handling pose a more serious threat than does the surgical process itself. Even though knowledge of anesthetics and their effects on the body has increased greatly in modern medicine, the anesthesia process is still responsible for many deaths every year.
One of the culprits of these fatalities is improper or negligent airway management. If you or a member of your family has been harmed by a negligent anesthesiologist, Philadelphia medical malpractice attorneys Lowenthal & Abrams, P.C. can help you fight for justice. Call us today at 215-238-1130.
Airway Management Problems
When a person is placed under general anesthesia, steps must be taken to assure that the patient continues breathing normally. Usually, this means placing a tube into the person’s windpipe. This process presents the danger that the tube may accidently be placed into the esophagus instead of the windpipe, which means that the patient’s lungs will not be receiving the oxygen they need.
Repeated failed attempts to place a tube can also cause serious complications, and may require an emergency tracheotomy to save the individual’s life.
Despite the fact that modern devices, such as ventilators, fiberoptic scopes, and other specialized tools, have made general anesthesia much safer than it used to be, it still poses many potentially fatal risks. Doctors and medical professionals must be extremely careful and monitor a patient’s status vigilantly at all times while he or she is unconscious.
Contact Us
If you or someone you love has been seriously injured due to a physician’s negligence during the anesthesia process, you may want to consider filing a medical malpractice lawsuit. To discuss your rights and the possibility of compensation, contact the Philadelphia medical malpractice lawyers of Lowenthal & Abrams, P.C. at 215-238-1130.