When Can Surgical Mistakes Happen?

Different types of surgeries are performed on a daily basis.  In fact, an average of 48 million surgeries are performed in the United States every year. A surgery could happen suddenly, just as it can be scheduled. A person might have the misconception that a surgical mistake only happens at the moment of a surgery, but that is not true. Surgery mistakes can happen pre-surgery, during surgery, and post-surgery.

A mistake during a surgery can be detrimental to a person’s health. It can even be deadly for a patient.  Mistakes during surgery can happen for a number of reasons including operating while under the influence, or ineffective communication between staff members. Some surgical mistakes include:

• Removing the wrong organ
• Leaving surgical instruments behind
• Cutting on the wrong site
• Not reading the patient’s chart, and
• More

Every surgery that a person undergoes poses its risks, but when negligence is involved, the risks of enduring an injury during surgery is even greater. No one can predict when they will become a victim of a surgical mistake, this is why a patient who is undergoing a surgery should research their surgeon beforehand and ask as many questions as possible before deciding to go through with the surgery. There may be other options or a better surgeon that can perform the surgery if the patient does not feel comfortable with their current surgeon.

Aside from During Surgery, What Mistakes Can Occur Before Surgery and After Surgery?

As mentioned before, mistakes can happen before the surgery(pre-operative), during the surgery, and after the surgery(post-operative). Below will be listed the mistakes that can occur before surgery:

• Miscommunication between the surgeon and patient
• Not giving directions on eating habits before operation
• Describe the risks of the surgery to the patient (informed consent)
• Determine that the patient can withstand the operation
• Incorrectly diagnose the patient’s condition

Below will be described mistakes that can happen during the surgery:

• Performing the operation on the wrong body part
• Unskilled/untrained surgeon
• Not communicating effectively with other assisting medical staff
• Not monitoring the patient’s vital signs

These are some mistakes that can occur post-surgery:

• Surgeon does not follow-up with the patient
• Medical staff does not react to complications like infection
• Medical professional does not provide the patient with directions of how to care for the incision

As a person can see, various mistakes can be committed during different stages throughout a person’s operation. Any of these mistakes can leave a patient with life-long harms.

Enduring a Surgical Error by a Medical Professionals Lack of Care

Surgical errors can happen at any phase during a patient’s procedure. When a mistake happens because a surgeon committed a negligent act or omission, they can be held accountable for the injuries that the patient endures. The Tampa team of medical malpractice lawyers within the Percy Martinez Law Firm represent victims of surgical errors and other medical malpractice mistakes which left them injured and damaged. They will evaluate their clients case and answer every question that they have during their free consultation.