CRNA and patient death

Specialties CRNA

Published

So I have been researching on where I want to end up and CRNA has stuck for about a year. The question I want to ask current CRNAs is what is it like in the OR when a patient crashes and ultimately dies? What about complications of anesthesia that lead to death? I know that a lot of the times the death will fall back on the anesthesia team and I am just wondering how that has affected you as a provider(and I am aware you must carry insurance).

This is something that I know no one wants to experience but I have to be real and know that it happens. Can anyone share thoughts or experiences?

Specializes in Anesthesia.
Oh....BTW, I'm A CRNA. But I still don't think that being in anesthesia is a prerequisite for this conversation, for what its worth.

I think it is absolutely must to be an anesthesia provider to have this conversation. There are very few people that would understand these things otherwise. The nuances of coding, who is responsible for the coding, types of surgery, PS status, types of anesthesia used all contribute to "anesthesia mortality rate".

It is interesting that I haven't noticed your posts in this section before unless I just over looked them.

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To answer your question, YES. It has improved THAT much over the last 20 years. Capnograpy, ultrasound, Glidescopes, Echo's, Vigileo, LMAs, and on and on and on. Huge technological advances that make anesthesia breathtakingly boring. Nobody who has practiced for the last 20 years could ask such a naive question.

And are are you really debating, and trying to prove a point by insisting that the death rate is really 1:250K instead of 1:300K ?!?!?

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Oh....BTW, I'm A CRNA. But I still don't think that being in anesthesia is a prerequisite for this conversation, for what its worth.

I Have my doubts.

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Yes, I don't understand the intense debate here. Is one trying to prove that anesthesia is the root cause of much more deaths than recorded?

Even if the number is slightly different than what is cited I think you provided a ratio that was a minor difference, a fluctuation that could probably be argued in many research findings.

We can all agree to disagree on the exact number and if there is so much passion on the topic begin your own in depth research on true deaths related to anesthesia. Start with Joan Rivers. Although as was pointed out earlier your results may still be skewed based on the acuity, coding, etc.

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Yes, I don't understand the intense debate here. Is one trying to prove that anesthesia is the root cause of much more deaths than recorded?

Even if the number is slightly different than what is cited I think you provided a ratio that was a minor difference, a fluctuation that could probably be argued in many research findings.

We can all agree to disagree on the exact number and if there is so much passion on the topic begin your own in depth research on true deaths related to anesthesia. Start with Joan Rivers. Although as was pointed out earlier your results may still be skewed based on the acuity, coding, etc.

I Think the the number is getting so small, that further study is kind of a waste. The data provided is mostly old data, and even then the number is in the range of 1:250K to 1:300K. Considering the dramatic increase in airway adjuncts and technology now commonplace, the actual incidence is likely far, far smaller. I just don't see the purpose of further studying the incidence of something so rare.

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Dear OP,

Anesthesia deaths are extremely rare. It is more dangerous driving to the OR that it is to undergo anesthesia.

Anesthesia has become incredible safer over the past 30 years. I have had 2 deaths in 10 years and they were both AAAs one the surgeon stopped in the middle of the case and called it. I was really bummed because I had been working to hard to keep this guy alive. The second one died a week earlier 3 hours after surgery in the ICU when I ran out of EPI. We had 3 AAAs in 3 weeks (yes they really happen in threes).

Epidural paralysis: ********.

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