Many Mechanicsburg area residents will need surgery at some point in their lives. Whether the surgery is scheduled or an emergency, a patient should be able to trust their surgeon. Surgeons have years of education and training and a patient should feel confident in their abilities. Usually a surgery goes as planned but occasionally a serious surgical error occurs. It can be important to learn what are the common surgical errors.
It can be hard to believe but surgical errors are more common than a person may think. These surgical mistakes can happen during any operation, not just the more complicated procedures. Even a routine colonoscopy can leave a patient with a perforated bowel. The following are three common surgical errors.
Operating on wrong site
A surgeon may operate on the wrong part of a patient’s body. A doctor who is rushed through surgery may not take the time to make sure they are operating on the right body part. This can be common in kidney surgeries and even amputations.
Anesthesia errors
Anesthesia dosage errors is common and can be fatal. If an anesthesiologist administers too much of a drug the patient may not receive enough oxygen to their brain. Or if a patient doesn’t receive enough of a drug they may wake up in the middle of surgery.
Leaving surgical equipment inside patient
There are many times when a surgeon leaves surgical equipment inside a patient and it is discovered later when a patient develops a severe infection. Items can include gauze, clamps, or even scalpels.
If a person believes they are the victim of a surgical error, they may want to speak with a legal professional who is skilled in medical malpractice. An attorney can review medical records and consult with medical experts to help determine what happened. Compensation may be available for medical expenses, pain and suffering, lost wages and other damages.