What Happens When Surgery Goes Awry

1. UNDERSTANDING SURGICAL
ERRORS
What HappensWhen Surgery Goes Awry

2. 11 SURGICAL ERRORS HAPPEN EVERY DAY
The thought of going under the knife is
a scary prospect for anyone. Perhaps
more than in any other medical setting,
we are truly at the mercy of healthcare
professionals. Not only do we have no
control over the procedure, we are
often completely unconscious during
surgery. Even more alarming is the fact
that 4,000 surgical errors happen in the
United States every year.
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3. HOW MISTAKES HAPPEN
Most surgical errors are classified as
“never-events,” meaning that they
were entirely preventable and never
should have occurred.There are several
different types of surgical errors, some
more common than others.There are
also many reasons that these errors
happen.
In the pages that follow, we’ll look at
types and causes of surgical mistakes
and what a patient can do after they
suffer harm from surgical error.
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4. TYPES OF SURGICAL ERROR
Major surgeries are complex. One
procedure may require several different
processes involving many different doctors
and nurses. Many pieces of equipment may
also be used.These variables make surgery
more prone to mistakes than simpler
procedures. While surgical errors can take
many forms, some of the most common
are:
 Wrong-site, wrong-procedure, wrong-
patient errors
 Objects left inside the body
 Anesthesia errors
 Infections
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5. WRONG SITE, WRONG PROCEDURE,
WRONG PATIENT
Some of the most common errors in
surgery fall under the category of “wrong-
site, wrong-procedure, wrong-patient
errors,” also calledWSPEs.
 Wrong-site errors occur when a doctor
performs a surgery on the wrong side of
the patient’s body.These errors occur
approximately 20 times a week in the U.S.
 Wrong-procedure errors occur when
doctors do a different surgery than the
one required.These also occur around 20
times a week in the U.S.
 Wrong-patient errors happen when the
hospital mixes up one patient for another.
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6. OBJECTS LEFT INSIDE PATIENTS
Every day in the United States, there
are approximately 12 instances of
doctors sewing up patients with a
foreign object mistakenly left inside.
Most of the time, the object left behind
is a sponge, which can cause major
health complications over the weeks,
months and years that follow a surgery.
Though less common, doctors can also
leave equipment like forceps or clamps.
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7. ANESTHESIA ERRORS
Anesthesiologists, along with other
medical professionals, have an
obligation to follow certain protocol
before, during and after administering
medication to patients.They must
instruct a patient about what is
expected of them.They must
determine the proper type and dosage
of an anesthetic, and they must make
sure the patient is given proper care
post-surgery. Anesthesia errors can
have disastrous results for patients.
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8. SURGERY-RELATED INFECTIONS
Hospital-acquired infections are one of
the biggest hazards in our healthcare
system.These infections sometimes
occur during or after a surgery. All
surfaces and equipment must be
sanitized before an operation. All
doctors and nurses must be diligent
during a procedure to keep the
environment sterile. Medical
professionals should also monitor the
patient after the surgery to make sure
their wound doesn’t become infected.
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9. POSSIBLE CAUSES OF SURGICAL ERROR
A single surgical error can have multiple
contributing factors.A surgical mistake
may be due to any of the following
factors:
 Miscommunication before or during
surgery
 Mislabeling of a patient’s information
 Distraction by doctors or nurses
 Fatigue of doctors or nurses
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10. HOW PATIENTS SUFFER FROM SURGICAL
ERROR
A surgical error can have several
different outcomes for a patient, from
sudden, catastrophic medical
emergencies to gradual, debilitating
complications. Complications might
arise during a surgery, but often it takes
days, weeks or even months for
problems to emerge. In addition to pain
and suffering, a patient might require
additional medical treatment, lose time
at work and have their quality of life
greatly diminished.
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11. OPTIONS FOR INJURED PATIENTS
When a patient suffers harm from
surgical mistakes, they have legal
options. Medical malpractice claims
offer victims of medical negligence a
path toward compensation for their
suffering. A medical malpractice
attorney can help an injured patient win
payment from negligent healthcare
providers to cover pain, suffering,
medical bills, lost wages and any other
damages.
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12. HOWWE CAN HELP
If you or a loved one has suffered
injuries from surgical errors, contact
the medical malpractice attorneys at
Wapner, Newman,Wigrizer, Brecher &
Miller. Our experienced team offers
clients exceptional service, and we will
fight to make sure you get the
compensation you deserve.
Contact us today by filling out our
online contact form or calling our
office at 1-800-529-6600.
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