For people in Massachusetts who are suffering from a medical condition, illness or injury, surgery is often the only alternative. Patients undoubtedly expect medical professionals to adhere to the highest standard of care. Unfortunately, medical errors happen frequently.
Recognizing common surgical errors
Any surgical mistake can do immense harm to a patient. However, some stand out with how often they occur. These include:
- A foreign object left in the patient
- Hospital infections
- Falling from the operating table
- A medication mistake
- Performing surgery on the wrong body part or wrong person
Statistically, a minimum of 4,000 people in the United States are found to have medical instruments in their body after a surgical procedure. Medical instruments can include a sponge, scissors, a scalpel or any item used during surgery. This can cause pain, internal damage and infection.
Every year, nearly 100,000 people die from a hospital-related infection. If the medical professionals do not use proper hygienic procedures, such as wearing gloves, infections can occur.
If the patient is not properly strapped to the operating table, they can fall and suffer injuries while under anesthesia.
Medication will generally be given during and after surgery. Physicians and nurses are not immune to misreading what a medication is or its dosage. The wrong medication or the wrong dose can lead to complications and even fatalities.
Operating on the wrong body part also happens. For example, a person needing surgery on their right knee can wake up to discover their left knee was operated on. A mix-up can even result in surgery on the wrong patient. These forms of medical malpractice are troublingly common.
A surgical error should not be ignored
Surgical errors can harm any patient regardless of age, health, condition and surgery type. If there are unexplained complications, clear mistakes or a suspicion that something went wrong because of a medical misstep, it is essential to know the options available. This is vital when trying to make a full recovery physically, financially and personally.
