Surgeons and other medical providers are regarded as highly professional individuals. Their profession is also considered a very respectful one since they save people’s lives. However, people often forget that doctors are, at the end of the day, humans and not magicians. Doctors are not perfect and can make mistakes.
In other careers, making a mistake may or may not be a big deal. However, mistakes in the medical field can endanger a person’s life. If you or a loved one has suffered from medical malpractice, speak to a Personal Injury Lawyer near me today.
Types of surgical errors that lead to medical malpractice
- Wrong site surgery.
One of the most common types of surgical errors that lead to medical malpractice is wrong site surgery. Wrong site surgery occurs when a surgeon performs surgery on the wrong body part or organ. These issues often occur because of recording wrong patient information in the chart or when the doctor does not remember or read the information correctly.
- Wrong patient.
Wrong patient surgery error occurs when a particular surgery is performed on the wrong person or patient. There might be a mix-up of names due to which this might happen. When the appropriate surgery is not performed on a patient, their existing condition may not get better. Additionally, the patient might even acquire additional injuries because of the wrong procedure.
- Nerve damage.
Some surgical mistakes can cause serious nerve damage and inflict permanent injuries upon the patient. This might happen when the surgeon clips a nerve or makes an anesthesia mistake during the procedure.
Surgeons often perform surgery by working very close to the nerves. Accidentally making contact with the surgical instruments with the nerves can result in inflammation.
- Foreign objects are left in the body.
A surgeon uses a number of items while operating on a patient. If they are not careful, they may accidentally leave a surgical instrument or another foreign object inside the body. When this happens, the object might cause severe consequences to the patient’s health. For example, if the object is sharp or pointy, it can cause internal cuts.
- Organ or tissue damage.
A surgeon might use sharp and pointy instruments while performing surgery on a patient. When a doctor is not careful or lacks training or experience, they may accidentally puncture or perforate an organ or tissue other than the one that is supposed to be operated on. Such an injury can lead to serious health consequences.
