General vs. Local Anesthetics
In modern medicine, anesthetics are widely used to dull the pain which can accompany a wide variety of procedures, from dental work to removing moles to serious surgical operations. Depending on the type of drug and the amount administered, anesthesia can numb a small area of skin or render the patient completely unconscious. Because of the miniscule amounts which differentiate between a waking sleep and death, the field of anesthetics is a complicated one, and errors are not unheard of. If you or someone you love has been the victim of anesthesia malpractice, contact the Pennsylvania medical malpractice attorneys of Lowenthal & Abrams, P.C. by calling 610-667-7511.
Local Anesthesia
Local anesthetics are used to reduce pain in a specific area, and are used mostly when general anesthesia would be too strong or when the patient is not required to be conscious. For many procedures, such as Cesarean sections, local anesthesia is a safer and therefore preferable option to general anesthesia. Local anesthetics come in two main types: true local anesthetics, which will numb a small part of the body such as a tooth or a patch of skin, and regional anesthetics, which will numb a larger area, such as a limb.
General Anesthesia
A general anesthetic, however, provides a loss of consciousness. This is necessary for larger surgeries which will necessitate an unmoving, unconscious patient. General anesthetics come in intravenous, injection form, and gaseous form. Usually, the injection is used to cause a state of unconsciousness and the gas is used to maintain it. General anesthetics are used in major invasive surgeries such as heart surgery.
Contact Us
Anesthetics require carefully calculated concentrations and dosage amounts, and even the highly specialized surgeons who administer them can make mistakes. If you or someone you love has been the victim of improper anesthesia administration, contact the Pennsylvania medical malpractice lawyers of Lowenthal & Abrams, P.C. by calling 610-667-7511.