Some surgeries are more involved than others, but there is no such thing as a truly ‘minor’ surgery. Both open-heart surgery and appendix removal are extremely taxing for the patient—both physically and psychologically. Making matters worse is when medical malpractice comes into play. More than 4,000 surgical errors take place in the United States every year. Here are a few of the most common types.
More than 4,000 surgical errors take place in the United States every year. These are the most common types.
Wrong Site Surgery
Wrong site surgery is easily among the most common forms of surgical errors. It means exactly what you’d expect: a negligent medical professional performs a surgery on the wrong part of the patient’s body. This most commonly occurs for body parts of which there are two, such as a surgeon carrying out the operation on the patient’s left leg when it should have been their right.
Foreign Objects
You already know that surgeons make use of quite a few tools to carry out surgery. This could include anything from scalpels and scissors, to sponges and cotton swabs. All too often, negligent surgeons will inadvertently leave these objects within a patient. It can cause serious infection and may necessitate another surgery to remove the foreign item.
Anesthesia Errors
A majority of major surgical operations are supposed to take place under anesthesia. However, there are quite a few ways that doctors could make an error when administering it. Here are a few of the most common:
- The surgeon administers anesthesia too late
- The wrong type of anesthesia is used
- The surgeon administers too little or too much anesthesia
- Doctor fails to recognize adverse reaction in patient to anesthesia
At their worst, anesthesia errors can be fatal. Using too much of the drug can cut off oxygen, causing lasting damage to the brain or even death. If the patient receives too little anesthesia, they could be fully conscious during the surgery but unable to speak. This can result in a lifetime of trauma and psychological pain.
Wrong Procedure
Similarly to a wrong site surgery, this form of surgical error occurs when the surgeon carries out the incorrect procedure. This might happen as a result of a misdiagnosis or simply a doctor’s poor judgment. Victims of this form of surgical error may require another operation to undo the one carried out in error, in addition to the surgery they should have received in the first place.
Contact The Snyder Law Group Today
The Snyder Law Group, LLC, proudly represents clients throughout Maryland and Washington, D.C. Our experienced Baltimore attorneys understand the frustration that comes with an insurance company, medical professional, or other party that refuses to accept liability for negligent or reckless behavior. You can take heart in knowing there are talented and experienced lawyers ready to work for you. We are experienced in handling personal injury claims of medical malpractice or injury resulting from serious car and truck accidents, and have secured hundreds of millions in verdicts and settlements. Please visit our website, www.410thefirm.com, for more information and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.
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