Tonsillectomy. Appendectomy. Cesarean section. Gallbladder removal. Insertion of ear tubes. Wisdom teeth removal. These are some of the most common surgical procedures in the U.S. No surgery, however, is without risk, no matter how common or mundane it may be.
Surgical errors happen, but they can be prevented, and when a surgery goes wrong, a charge of medical malpractice may be the result.
Complications During Routine Surgery
Surgeries are not conducted without signed consent forms, the details of which are intended to protect the surgeon and hospital from wrong-doing. Even if a surgeon has performed a routine procedure thousands of times, no two surgeries – and no two patients – are alike. The risk remains the same, even if the person who came before sailed through the procedure just fine.
While complications in routine surgeries are rare, there are bad things that could occur:
- Uncontrollable bleeding.
- Infection
- Damage to nearby tissue.
- Reaction to anesthesia.
- Post-operative complications.
- Need for a blood transfusion.
Some of these results are due to surgical error, like a nicked artery. Others are due to the patient’s inability, for example, to clot well. Pre-existing conditions such as heart, liver, or lung problems, allergies, or obesity can create a greater risk of complications or death.
Weighing the Risks of Surgery
Hundreds of thousands of medical errors end in fatalities every year. Doctor errors are often at the root of these tragedies, which leads many patients to question whether they need a surgery at all. This choice is stressful, because not getting a surgery, no matter how fearful of it you may be, could create a life-or-death situation. Choosing to get a surgery can risk the same.
Problems That Can Happen in Surgery
Patients trust their doctor or surgeon to take care of them, to prevent any complications from arising, to relieve them from pain and ensure that they do not cause any further pain. But things sometimes go wrong in the operating room, including:
- Performing the wrong operation. It may seem crazy, but this problem does happen. Surgeons can mix up two patients or perform an operation that was unnecessary or on the wrong body part.
- Damaging another part of the body. Surgery is invasive no matter how you look at it, and another organ, a major artery, or body part can be damaged during delicate procedures, resulting in further injury or unnecessary complications.
- Problems with anesthesia. If a patient is given the wrong dose of anesthesia, or one that reacts with a patient allergy, the results can be catastrophic.
- Conducting an unnecessary surgery. Overeager doctors and surgeons may be quick to convince a patient that they need to head to the operating room immediately to tend to an emergency when a less-invasive option could have addressed the problem.
- Leaving a surgical tool in the body. Television shows make light of problems like losing a surgical instrument in the body, but this is a serious problem and could lead to complications and a second surgery to retrieve the item.
- Poor hygiene. Every person, instrument, and surface in a surgical room must be properly sterilized to prevent infection. A patient who contracts a serious infection because of medical negligence and poor sanitization procedures can have a prolonged recovery or further health problems.
If you have been hurt in Michigan because of surgical error, contact Thurswell Law for a free consultation with one of our experienced, knowledgeable, and successful medical malpractice attorneys. We do not charge any fees unless you collect. Call (248) 354-2222 today.
