One of the most vulnerable experiences an individual can go through is surgery. There are many reasons why someone may need surgery, such as the removal of the appendix, cancer diagnosis, cataract surgery, skin grafting and amputation.
While people often expect medical professionals to act with the utmost care during such a sensitive procedure, it does not always happen. A surgeon or nurse may fail to provide a standard of care during surgery and injure their patient. Here are a few common types of surgical malpractice:
1. Wrong side surgeries
Patient records should have clear indications for where they will receive surgery. Any confusion could lead to surgery on the wrong side of the body.
2. Forgotten surgical tools
Gossypiboma is the technical term for the act of leaving foreign objects in the body after surgery. These objects can include surgical tools, sponges and cotton. Over time, these objects can cause discomfort and may even cause injuries.
3. Contamination and infections
Surgeons and nurses have to have their tools and hands disinfected and wear protective clothing during surgeries to protect patients from infections. Any contaminated tools could lead to severe infections.
4. Wrong patient surgery
If patient records are mixed up, it could lead to the wrong patient receiving surgery. This could lead to severe injuries and medical conditions.
5. Nerve damage
If a surgeon is indelicate, they could cause the patient to suffer nerve damage. This damage could cause a patient to lose sensitivity and movement on body parts.
6. Incision errors
A medical error, such as a wrong incision could lead to severe and fatal internal bleeding. An incision error could also harm tendons and muscles, causing nerve damage.
Patients injured while in surgery can pursue damages. Legal guidance is available to help victims begin their medical malpractice claims.