Cerebral Palsy and General Anesthesia

Traditionally, the pain or discomfort is taken away when using anesthesia. During painful procedures anesthesia is regularly used to numb the pain, but there have been other cases that proved it did more harm than it did good.

There are many different kinds of anesthesia and it depends of the patient and the type of procedure on what kind to use. The types of anesthesia that are commonly used are:

• Local anesthesia
• Regional anesthesia
• Epidural and spinal anesthesia
• General anesthesia

When a patient is in labor, the epidural anesthesia is typically used. When an epidural is given, a local anesthetic is injected close to the spinal cord and the nerves connected to it. Reason being the pain will be blocked from the whole body particularly the abdomen, the hips, and the legs.

Anesthesia can Cause Cerebral Palsy How?

Researchers proved that after an epidural is given, the fetal heart rate can significantly drop. After the epidural anesthesia is given this can cause the baby to experience fetal distress. The mother’s blood pressure can drop very low because of this, researchers and doctors are not sure the cause but blood will not be able to flow properly to the uterus therefore not enough oxygen is given to the unborn baby because of this.

It is hard for the patient’s muscles in the arteries of the lower body to properly keep the blood flowing through the body because of the epidural anesthesia, as previously stated above. When anesthesia is given, the ability of the patient’s heart to respond to the changing needs of the body becomes impaired. As a result of the epidural anesthesia not being administered correctly, or due to the doctor’s negligence in monitoring the epidural, the baby could be born with cerebral palsy.

Most babies of mothers who are receiving epidural anesthesia can develop varying episodes of a slow heart rate And while this doesn’t usually affect a baby who is healthy, it can be potentially harmful for a baby who is already in a compromised position or suffering from another problem during labor.

Cerebral Palsy Resulting from Anesthesia

As a result of the anesthesia’s strong effects, a baby can develop cerebral palsy due to the lack of oxygen it may be receiving during childbirth. The condition cerebral palsy affects parts of the body such as the brain, the body’s muscles and motor functions. This condition has various severities but no matter what degree the condition is, it is life changing. Treatments are available for those living with cerebral palsy because researchers have not yet found a cure for the condition.

You may know someone who has cerebral palsy due to an anesthesia mistake? If so, please contact us today to speak with an experienced cerebral palsy attorney who will better inform you about the legal options available to you and your loved ones.

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