Surgery is a risk that many individuals must take to improve their health. Throughout Kansas City, individuals make the calculated decision to allow medical professionals to operate on their bodies in the hope that they will feel better once they have recovered. For many, surgery is a successful process that moves them toward better health. For others, it is a devastating event that causes pain and loss.
This post will introduce readers to several common forms of surgical mistakes. No medical or legal advice is conveyed in this post, and all victims of surgical mistakes and medical malpractice can choose to speak with trusted personal injury attorneys about their possible claims.
The 3 “Wrong” Surgical Mistakes
Wrong site, wrong patient, and wrong procedure surgeries are major issues that impact too many victims. They happen when communication breaks down in operating rooms and patients are subjected to errors. For example, wrong site surgeries happen when a doctor performs the right surgery on a patient, but on the wrong part or side of their body. Wrong patient surgeries occur when doctors perform planned surgeries on the wrong individuals. Wrong procedure surgeries occur when a patient is given an operation that they do not need.
Left Behind Surgical Supplies
Another common form of surgical mistake involves the supplies and equipment that medical providers use to perform operations. From time to time, doctors fail to remove all of the gauze, clamps, and other materials they use while performing surgeries from their patients’ bodies. When a patient is closed up after a procedure with materials still in them, they can develop complications and require additional medical procedures to heal.
Negligent Medical Practices
Many surgical mistakes happen simply because doctors fail to meet their duties of care to their patients. They may not act reasonably given their training or the expected practices of professionals in their fields, or they may not take sufficient time to properly treat and care for their patients. When a surgeon falls below their expected standard of care and their patient suffers harm, that surgeon may be responsible for their patient’s losses.
This post introduces some of the ways that individuals may suffer harm as a result of mistakes made during their surgical procedures. It is not a full or complete list of all possible surgical errors that may happen to victims. However, when an individual is harmed by a surgical mistake at the hands of medical professionals, they should know that they have rights. Their damages may be recoverable through medical malpractice litigation, and knowledgeable legal professionals can advise them of how best to protect their rights and interests.
