Anesthesia Medications & Medication Errors Expert Witness

Basis of Dr. Urits's opinions on this topic. Dr. Urits is board certified in Anesthesiology and in Pain Medicine by the American Board of Anesthesiology. His opinions about anesthesia care rest on his anesthesia residency at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center / Harvard Medical School, his board certification in Anesthesiology, and his published research. Retaining counsel should confirm expert qualifications under the rules of their jurisdiction.

Anesthesia care involves potent drugs given quickly, often in combination. Claims can involve the wrong drug or dose, a missed interaction, inadequate reversal of neuromuscular blockade, or failure to account for the patient's other medications, including chronic opioids and buprenorphine. Dr. Urits has published on anesthetic pharmacology, including reversal of neuromuscular blockade with sugammadex, interactions between anesthetic and chemotherapy drugs, perioperative buprenorphine, and the clinical pharmacology of enhanced recovery protocols.

Common issues

• Drug selection and dosing for the patient's age, weight, and medical conditions

• Wrong-drug, wrong-dose, and labeling or syringe errors

• Neuromuscular blockade, residual paralysis, and reversal

• Drug interactions, including with chemotherapy agents, chronic opioids, and buprenorphine

• Local anesthetic toxicity and adjuvant use

• Prevention of postoperative nausea and vomiting

Relevant publications by Dr. Urits

• Kaye AD, Kaye RJ, Cornett EM, Urits I, et al. The role of sugammadex, a novel cyclodextrin compound in modern anesthesia practice: conventional neuromuscular physiology and clinical pharmacology. Expert Rev Clin Pharmacol. 2019.

• Bartlett E, Urman RD, Urits I, Kaye AD, Viswanath O. Is sugammadex superior to neostigmine in reversing rocuronium-induced neuromuscular blockade? J Clin Anesth. 2022.

• Watson J, Ninh MK, Ashford S, Cornett EM, Kaye AD, Urits I, Viswanath O. Anesthesia Medications and Interaction with Chemotherapeutic Agents. Oncol Ther. 2021.

• Kaye AD, Renschler JS, Cramer KD, Klein KE, Granier AL, Hart BM, Kassem H, Urits I, Cornett EM, Viswanath O. The role of clinical pharmacology in enhanced recovery after surgery protocols: a comprehensive review. Anaesthesiol Intensive Ther. 2020.

• Ngo AL, Orhurhu V, Urits I, et al. Extended release granisetron: Review of pharmacologic considerations and clinical role in the perioperative setting. Saudi J Anaesth. 2019.

• Urits I, Viswanath O, Petro J, Yazdi C. Building a Bridge Between Primary and Perioperative Care: Addressing the Challenges of Perioperative Buprenorphine Maintenance and Postdischarge Therapy. Ochsner J. 2018.