Surgical errors are preventable mistakes that can result in medical malpractice lawsuits. These lawsuits are filed against healthcare providers, ambulatory surgical centres, and hospitals. Injuries sustained due to surgical errors can be quite serious and a lot of patients will require lifelong medical treatment and care. Apart from the physical damage, patients and their families can also suffer from emotional trauma. Because of this, it is important for victims and their families to work with a skilled surgery error malpractice attorney. The best attorney will work to ensure their clients get the maximum compensation they are entitled to.
Reasons Surgical Errors Can Happen
While surgical errors can happen for a lot of reasons, they are usually due to human error, which can be preventable. The following are common causes of surgical errors.
- Incompetence. Surgeons who perform surgeries without adequate skills and training can make mistakes during a procedure.
- Human error. Surgeons may make mistakes when making incisions or using techniques. In addition, anesthesiologists and nurses who monitor a patient during surgery may fail to check vitals or administer the wrong medication dosage.
- Insufficient planning. Operating room professionals must properly prepare for surgeries they will perform. This ensures the sterility and availability of surgical instruments. Also, planning for the procedure will make sure that every step has been discussed with every member of the medical team thoroughly.
- Fatigue. Doctors are prone to be overworked and fatigued. Such a lack of rest can lead to severe surgical errors.
- Miscommunication. When medical experts do not communicate properly, they can make surgical errors or mishear directions, which can lead to serious consequences.
- Unsanitary conditions. Hospitals and operating rooms are expected to be sanitary. But this may not be the case at all times. Improperly sanitized instruments can lead to life-threatening infections.
Kinds of Surgical Errors
Medical experts can make different forms of medical errors including the following:
- Operating on the wrong part of the patient’s body. This error can lead to unnecessary incisions, which can put the patient at risk of infection and cause extra scarring.
- Accidental incisions. These can happen when a surgeon wrongly marked a patient’s body part. Also, they can take place because of a careless surgeon.
- Performing the wrong kind of surgery. This can happen because of miscommunication or misdiagnosis. No matter the cause, this surgical error can cause unnecessary injury to a patient.
- Leaving foreign objects inside a patient’s body. This can cause complications and pain for the patient as well as require another procedure to recover what the instrument has been left inside the patient’s body.
