Millions of Americans undergo surgery every day and the number of surgical errors and incidents of surgical malpractice made is higher than you might imagine. This has led to a rise in surgical malpractice lawsuits. Surgical errors can occur in the most mundane and common surgeries and in the most complex surgeries. They can involve problems with anesthesia, wrong site incisions, errors during surgery and errors in post-operative care. Surgical malpractice also affects any surgery, whether it’s an elective cosmetic surgery like, liposuction, or a medically necessary surgery, like the implantation of an arterial stent.
Surgical medical malpractice occurs when a physician or medical practitioner fails to give adequate care, according to medical standards. In the pre-operative stage, your physician and you will make the decision about whether to move forward and with which course of treatment. Your physician should go over all the risks with you and should thoroughly evaluate your medical history to prepare him or herself for any complications that might arise during the surgery. Additionally, your doctor should make an informed decision as to whether the surgery is right for you and if the risks of the surgery are more profound than not getting the surgery at all.
Surgical malpractice also occurs during anesthesia, leading to inadequate oxygen to the body which can result in a number of complications including permanent brain damage, asphyxia, coma, organ damage, cardiovascular problems, and death. Potentially bad reactions to anesthesia can often be identified prior to the surgical procedure so if you feel your doctor has not thoroughly assessed your medical history you should make your concerns known.
During the surgery itself, surgeons have been known to make incorrect incisions, use un-sterile equipment, accidentally cut organs or incorrect tissues and cause permanent nerve damage. Doctors have even been known to operate on the wrong side or wrong part of a patient, (60 -70 cases each year) which is why many doctors today will actually mark patients with marker prior to surgery. In some instances, medical practitioners have even left foreign objects inside of patients, including sponges, clamps and surgical instruments which have resulted in additional operations and sometimes in serious injury.
Problems with post-operative care also falls under the heading of surgical errors. In some cases nurses and doctors have given insufficient care to patients, directly leading to infection, additional corrective surgeries, sepsis and sometimes death. Ensuring the cleanliness of the wound and having experienced staff to watch patients closely is incredibly important in ensuring successful surgical intervention.
If you have been a victim of surgical malpractice, or you have a loved one who has been a victim of a surgical error you should contact a surgical malpractice attorney as quickly as possible. Not only might you be entitled to a reimbursement of medical expenses, but also for compensation for future medical care, loss of income and pain and suffering. Surgical malpractice laws are in place to protect patients from poor care at the hands of trusted medical practitioners. Whether you have been mishandled in a cosmetic surgery, medically necessary surgery or an injury treatment, you deserve to trust your doctor and be given the best care possible.