Surgical errors are something that nobody ever wants to endure. Unfortunately, they happen more often than people think, and they often leave patients dealing with even further issues that they must endure for a long time.
It’s important for individuals to recognize the potential long-term dangers associated with surgical errors and understand why they are the worst form of negligence that can happen in a medical malpractice case. Here are some of the things you should know moving forward.
Surgical Errors Often Result in Organ Damage
Following a misdiagnosis or a problem with communication, it’s possible for a doctor to perform surgery on the wrong patient or wrong body part. Without knowing the patient’s history or if tests were not properly performed, there’s a chance the doctor can damage a perfectly healthy organ.
In some situations, this can result in excessive bleeding that may be uncontrollable during the procedure. Some situations involving surgical errors can be fatal, especially if the doctor hits an artery during the surgery or they cause an infection.
How Can Items Left Inside a Patient Cause Harm?
One serious surgical error that can occur is when the doctors and/or nurses leave an object inside the patient upon completion of the surgery. The patient is stitched up, yet some instrument or gauze is left inside the body at the location of the surgery. The problem with this is the potential for serious infection or internal organ damage.
If the item left inside the patient is a surgical tool, it can puncture other organs inside the body. If it is some gauze, there’s potential for the patient to suffer from an infection that can worsen with every day the item goes undetected.
Our Houston medical malpractice attorneys recognize the severe dangers patients face when medical professionals are negligent. It is our goal to help those who suffer harm recognize their rights following a surgery error to not only hold the doctor accountable, but also create change in safety protocol to help prevent others from suffering the same fate.
You can count on our team at Webster Vicknair MacLeodto represent your rights to the fullest, pursuing the maximum compensation to which you are entitled.