Miami Anesthesiologist Accused Of Medical Malpractice After Patient Dies

Surgical procedures are major undertakings because they often require anesthesia. While most surgeries go well, with minor or no complications, some unfortunately go very wrong due to medical malpractice. Some leave patients in lifelong pain and with catastrophic medical issues. Others result in death.

A man died during a surgery in Miami in 2018 due to an anesthesiologist’s alleged negligence. The patient was at Jackson Memorial Hospital undergoing a coronary artery bypass graft. The 57-year-old man made it through the surgery with no complications.

However, when the patient was transferred to his bed from the operating room table, he was disconnected from the ventilation machine. The man was not well-ventilated for as long as nine minutes. He suffered bradycardia, which is a slow heart rate. He then went into cardiac arrest. Medical staff performed CPR on the man and put him on a pump to revive him. He was  then taken to the ICU, where he was declared brain dead.

The Florida Department of Health is accusing the anesthesiologist of medical malpractice. The department filed an administrative complaint against the doctor, claiming that he was responsible for ensuring that the patient was ventilated following the surgery. The anesthesiologist failed to do so, causing the patient to die.

Anesthesia Complications

Anesthesia puts you asleep during a surgery so you do not feel any pain. It is done through a mixture of medications and gases. An anesthesiologist is there to monitor your vital signs the entire time to ensure you get through the surgery without complications.

While general anesthesia is considered safe, and most people tolerate it without issue, some people experience side effects. The most common ones include nausea, vomiting, sore throat, sleepiness, muscle aches, hoarseness, lacerations, and damage to teeth. Other types of anesthesia, such as spinals and epidurals, may cause headaches, hypothermia, spinal infection, and nerve damage. More severe complications include allergic reactions, brain injury, being awake during anesthesia, nerve injury, pneumonia due to aspiration, depressed respiration, respiratory failure, embolisms, cardiac arrest, stroke, and even death.

Sometimes anesthesia complications occur because the patient did not follow the doctor’s instructions. For example, they may have eaten after a certain time or failed to provide the doctor with honest information about medications they are taking, chronic health problems, or prior issues with anesthesia. In some cases, though, the anesthesiologist is negligent. He or she may fail to monitor the patient, resulting in serious health issues and even death.

Seek Help for Your Medical Malpractice Case

An operation on a major body part such as the heart is a major medical procedure. Because it involves anesthesia, it comes with even more possible complications and even the most skilled medical professionals can be negligent and make errors.

If you or a loved one has been a victim of a medical malpractice case, seek legal help from the Dade City & Zephyrhills medical malpractice attorneys at Madonna Law Group. Medical malpractice cases can be complex, but we can help you get a favorable outcome. Fill out the online form or call (800) 557-0411 to schedule a consultation.

Source:

apnews.com/article/florida-health-3db2358c68c940efa81b7658c2526814