Common Surgical Errors To Know 2023 Best Info is our todays topic. Surgical procedures are a normal occurrence. Whether surgery is planned or last-minute, you expect that your surgeon is well-trained and prepared. You also expect that any other medical professionals involved in your care are qualified enough. You never expect the surgeon, anesthesiologist, or any other medical care team member to make an error. Being aware of the most common surgical errors can help you identify a potential mistake when it does happen. This list compiles a few of the most common surgical errors.
Common Surgical Errors To Know 2023 Best Info
Wrong Procedure
A surgeon can complete the wrong procedure or the right procedure to the wrong location. A wrong procedure error may be due to a lack of experience or miscommunication between the patient’s medical care team and the surgeon. Either way, a wrong procedure can lead to unnecessary incisions or recovery. Additionally, a wrong procedure surgery leads to the patient not receiving the initial surgery they required.
Wrong Dosage Of Medication
Patients are often given different medications while in surgery and during recovery. One of the administered medications during surgery is anesthesia, which keeps the patient sedated throughout the procedure. If the anesthesiologist administers the wrong dosage, it could lead to unnecessary harm. The patient may wake up during the procedure, and in some cases, they may even feel pain.
On the other side, administering too much of a medication can lead to unwanted side effects and make the recovery process for the patient even harder. Careful dosing is also important during a patient’s follow-up care. Medical care team members are tasked with using prescription knowledge and training to control the pain and infection of recent surgical patients. Many patients are also sent home with prescriptions. Physicians who wrongly prescribe or fail to review a patient’s chart for allergies may be liable if they suggest improper dosing or medication type.
Infection
The patient may develop an infection if proper care and sanitary practices aren’t implemented during surgery. Infections can also occur with improper recovery or follow-up care. If the patient’s medical team doesn’t properly clean wounds or manage the first symptoms of an infection, it could get much worse.
Patients also rely on their medical team to provide them with accurate follow-up care to avoid infection after leaving the hospital. Important follow-up tasks include washing hands, taking all prescribed medications, and cleaning the wound or surgical area.
Leaving Behind A Foreign Object
Surgeons work with many tools, including scalpels and clamps. They may leave one of these behind after closing the incision if they’re not careful. Other foreign objects left behind during surgical procedures include gauze and sponges. These forgotten items can lead to extreme pain, discomfort, and infection. The patient will have to undergo another surgery to have the item removed.
What Causes Surgical Errors?
Surgical errors can be caused by a number of factors, including administrative mistakes, a lack of education or training, and a physician performing under the influence. Many causes of surgical errors are due to negligence. They may come from a surgeon taking the lead on a procedure without sufficient training or a medical doctor skipping important steps because they’re overloaded with patients. Surgical errors may also arise from a surgeon conducting a procedure while under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
A recent study found that over 4,000 surgical errors occur each year. Of these errors, operating on the wrong body part is the most common surgical error. The most common cause of surgical errors is a lack of training and an absence of standardized rules and regulations. Regardless of the frequency and cause, a surgical error is never okay. You shouldn’t have to deal with the recovery from a surgeon’s mistake. The medical facility is responsible for putting solutions in place to avoid medical mistreatment.
Do You Need A Lawyer After A Surgical Error?
You may need a lawyer if you believe you have been the victim of a surgical error. One of the hardest parts of a medical malpractice surgical error case is that it’s not always easy to establish proof. Connecting symptoms to a surgical error can be difficult, especially if you were sedated for the procedure.
Additionally, surgeons and doctors usually have large insurance companies and legal teams backing them. If you believe that you were injured by a surgical error, working with a lawyer is crucial. A personal injury lawyer has resources that can help determine proof, including access to expert witnesses.
Surgical procedures are often necessary, and most are safe and effective. But this doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t also be aware of the potential errors that can arise.