Having surgery can be a big deal. When a Pennsylvania resident must undergo an operation to fix an injury or illness, they may worry about all the factors that are associated with invasive medicine. They may wonder how long it will take for them to recover and if their surgery will be successful to remedy their health problem. They may have concerns about anesthesia and other associated medical necessities for having their procedure done.
Some patients may have heard disturbing stories about surgical mistakes happening to other people. It is an unfortunate truth that surgical mistakes happen even though they are highly preventable in modern medical facilities. This post will introduce readers to the surgical mistake of wrong-site surgery, but this post should not be read as medical or legal advice.
Recognizing a wrong-site surgery and why they happen
Wrong-site surgeries are unfortunately common. They affect individuals who have the correct surgical procedures performed on their bodies, but in the wrong locations. For example, a patient who goes in to have rotator cuff surgery on their left arm may wake up and discover that the surgery was performed on their right arm. This is an example of a wrong-site surgery.
Wrong-site surgeries, like other types of surgical mistakes, happen when doctors, nurses, and other medical professionals fail to communicate and fully prepare for the procedures they must perform. Leaving patients out of pre surgical communications can also cause surgical mistakes as patients can verify and confirm which operations they are supposed to receive. Medical centers that take precautions to prevent surgical mistakes can stop their patients from unnecessarily suffering wrong-site surgeries.
Compensation for wrong-site surgeries
A wrong-site surgery is painful, unnecessary, and preventable. A victim who suffers one not only must recover from a surgical procedure they did not need but may also have to undergo another surgical procedure to fix the original problem for which they sought medical treatment. The pain and suffering associated with surgical mistakes can be significant, and often victims of these preventable errors have rights to seek compensation for their losses. It is important that victims of medical malpractice understand their rights, and they can choose to speak with trusted medical malpractice lawyers about the different paths they may take to recover their damages.