Tube Obstructions and Tracheotomy Procedures

When a person undergoes a tracheotomy, there are several problems that may develop as a result of medical negligence before, during, or after the procedure. Medical professionals are trained to handle a tracheotomy procedure both in terms of efficiently getting the procedure completed quickly and dealing with the precise steps necessary to successively introduce a breathing tube. If a physician does not properly maintain the breathing tube, however, an obstruction can form.

Breathing tubes are placed through a tracheotomy procedure in order to introduce oxygen to a person who has experienced an airway obstruction or collapse. The tracheotomy provides emergency oxygen, allowing that individual to breathe. However, the tube itself needs to remain unobstructed in order to provide this necessary oxygen for the patient.

An obstruction can form in the breathing tube for a variety of reasons. When inserting the tube, it is important that the medical practitioner takes the proper precautions to rightfully install the tube, avoiding brushing up against other tissue, or running the tube into other bodily tissue.

In addition to blockage inside the body, a negligent caregiver may have placed some sort of obstructing object inside the tube prior to the procedure as a means to clean it or make some sort of modification. This blockage needs to be removed prior to the procedure if the patient is expected to receive sufficient treatment.

If you have suffered because of medical mistakes made during a tracheotomy, contact an experienced malpractice lawyer for more information about the steps you need to take to fight back.