Surgical procedures can be invasive and hard on the human body. Even when a surgery is necessary for the protection of a patient’s life, it can cause unwanted and painful side effects. When Silver Spring residents choose to undergo operations, they must know what risks and outcomes they may experience as a result of their procedures.
While recovery from a necessary and successful surgery can be hard, living through the aftermath of a surgical mistake can be misery. This post will examine some of the ways that surgical mistakes happen as well as the serious complications that those mistakes can create. Readers are encouraged to seek legal guidance after medical malpractice events like surgical mistakes as this post offers no legal or medical advice.
Types of surgical mistakes
Surgical mistakes happen when medical professionals fail to meet their duties of care while operating on their patients. There are many ways that surgical mistakes can happen, but some of the most common forms include:
- Wrong patient or procedure surgeries: A patient undergoes a surgery meant for another patient and/or receives the wrong surgery for their needs.
- Wrong site surgeries: A patient receives the correct procedure but on the wrong part of their body.
- Forgotten objects: Surgeries are performed and medical equipment such as gauze or clamps are left inside of a patient.
Surgical mistakes do not treat patients’ underlying conditions. When a patient suffers a surgical mistake, they may be forced to undergo additional procedures to right the wrongs imposed on them by their negligent medical practitioners.
Consequences of surgical mistakes
As mentioned, additional surgeries to correct errors is one consequence of surgical mistakes. As a result, patients may have to endure longer recoveries and time away from their jobs if the require additional procedures to fix their bodies. Patients who undergo surgical procedures may risk infections, blood loss, and other serious medical side effects. For some, erroneous surgical procedures may leave them with disabilities or losses of use and enjoyment in their bodies.
Surgical errors are dangerous and costly. Patients who suffer them do not have to fight for their rights alone. Personal injury attorneys who work in the medical malpractice field can offer them advocacy and support as they seek damages for their losses.