Houston doctors may be sued after a patient was improperly put to sleep and went into a coma

Local news for Houston reported on a routine procedure involving anesthesia that went wrong and caused severe complications. 

Complications related to anesthesia caused permanent damage

The victim had been going to a local hospital for multiple medical procedures including endoscopy and lap band surgery for weight loss, which are generally considered to be very safe. The doctor had previously explained to the victim that the endoscopy before the surgery would examine the inside of her throat and stomach with a camera to make sure that her stomach would be able to handle the restrictions from the lap band. Endoscopy is usually considered to be more uncomfortable than dangerous, because complications are rare. However, patients need to be heavily sedated to sleep through a pin sized camera being pushed down their mouth and into their digestive tract for at least 20 minutes to complete the process.  

On the day of the surgery, the anesthesiologist gave the victim a small dose of a medication called Zofran. About twenty minutes later, the victim was given propofol through an intravenous tube, and the anesthesiologist had left the operating room. A nurse was left to oversee the anesthesiologist’s work after he had left. A short time later the patient stopped breathing normally and experienced decreased oxygen levels. When the operating staff noticed an abnormal decrease in oxygen, they became very concerned as just minutes of oxygen deprivation can cause brain damage. 

The staff eventually tried to give the patient high doses of adrenaline to wake her up, and a defibrillator was used after the adrenaline did not work. They did get her heart to start beating again several minutes later, but the damage had already been done. She was put on a ventilator in the ICU, but never fully recovered from her injuries. The victim spent the rest of her days in a coma like state. 

Factors in a malpractice lawsuit

There are a number of things that should be considered when beginning to file a malpractice lawsuit. The main goal for your attorney will be to prove that the doctor breached their standard duty of care during a procedure, which resulted in some kind of injury. This can be proven through documentation, subsequent medical examinations and procedures, expert testimony, and other types of evidence. All of these things may be exchanged during the discovery process or presented at trial if necessary. The jury will ultimately make their decision at the conclusion of the case based on the likelihood that malpractice actually occurred through the evidence that they are shown on trial day. 

Talk with a professional about your malpractice case in Texas

There are lawyers who serve Houston and surrounding areas with lawsuits related to medical malpractice. To get immediate help, contact: 

Blizzard Law, PLLC

5020 Montrose Blvd., Houston, TX 77006

800-349-0127

blizzardlaw.com