6 Causes & 9 Terrible Consequences Of Surgical Errors
Did you know that there are about 4,000 surgical errors in the United States every year? This means that someone undergoing surgery is at risk for an avoidable mistake on any given day. While many of these errors are minor and cause no long-term damage, others can have catastrophic consequences.
Surgical errors can occur in any area of surgery. Still, some of the most common ones include problems with anesthesia, incorrect patient identification, retention injuries, and wrong-site surgery. If you or a loved one is undergoing this situation, the best thing to do is hire a medical malpractice lawyer. In this blog post, we’ll tell you all about it.
6 Common Causes Of Surgical Errors
Problems With Anesthesia
One of the most common causes of surgical errors is problems with anesthesia. When administered incorrectly, anesthesia can lead to severe complications, including brain damage, stroke, and death.
Incorrect Patient Identification
Another common cause of surgical errors is incorrect patient identification. This can happen when the wrong patient’s name or medical record number is used during surgery. It can also occur if the surgeon makes a mistake in reading or transcribing the patient’s identification bracelet.
Retention Injuries
Retention injuries are another common cause of surgical errors. These injuries occur when part of an organ or tissue is accidentally left inside the body after surgery. Retention injuries are usually the result of human error, such as a surgeon’s failure to count all of the items used during surgery.
Wrong Site Surgery
Wrong-site surgery is another common type of surgical error. This occurs when a surgeon operates on the wrong body part or performs the wrong procedure. Wrong-site surgery usually happens because of a mistake in the surgical schedule or a failure to mark the surgical site properly.
Improper Use Of Surgical Instruments
Improper use of surgical instruments is another common cause of surgical errors. This can happen when a surgeon uses the wrong type of instrument for a particular procedure or fails to sterilize an instrument before the surgery.
Communication Errors
Communication errors are another common cause of surgical errors. These errors can occur when there is a breakdown in communication between the surgeon and the surgical team. Communication errors can also happen when vital information is not provided to the surgeon on time.
Complications Of Surgical Errors
Surgical errors can cause various complications, some of which are life-threatening. Some of the most common complications of surgical errors include:
- Infection
- Internal bleeding
- Organ damage
- Nerve damage
- Paralysis
- Scarring
- Amputation
- Death
Hire A Professional Medical Malpractice Attorney
If you or a loved one has suffered from medical negligence, working with an experienced medical malpractice lawyer is essential. Lawyers at the Valente Law Group can help you understand your legal rights and options and work tirelessly to ensure that you receive the total compensation you deserve.
Trust the Valente Law Group to fight for you and your rights. We know how intimidating it can be when up against big insurance companies, so we do everything in our power on behalf of clients who need help dealing with situations like this. If you’ve been affected by a surgical error, don’t hesitate to contact us today.