Surgical Medical Malpractice – Dangers of the Knife

Surgeons spend years in school, training to ensure that they are able to make the appropriate decisions while under immense pressure. However, hospitals often over-work their staff, inhibiting their decision-making ability for immediate surgeries. Before going under the knife for a complicated surgical procedure, worrying that your surgeon isn’t adequately rested is the last thing you need to worry about.Yet surgical medical malpractice kills an estimated 98,000 hospital patients every year, according to the Institute of Medicine. And that doesn’t even take into account those who have sustained life-changing injuries as a result of surgical malpractice. Considering the training your surgeons must undergo, this is simply inexcusable!Definition of Surgical Medical MalpracticeSurgical malpractice is when the surgeon fails to provide their patient with the proper care, resulting in a personal injury or death. Not exercising their skills or following typical medical standards is when one has a case for medical malpractice.Causes of Surgical Medical MalpracticeThe causes of surgical malpractice are often simple mistakes, ones that should never occur if your surgeon is properly trained and sufficiently rested.
Incorrect incision
Use of unsanitary surgical tools
Delayed surgery
Prolonged surgery
Surgery performed on the wrong organ or side
Organ puncture or cut
Surgical utensils are left inside
Anesthesia errors
Failure to make the appropriate decision during a surgical emergency
These are simple mistakes that should never be made by a trained professional, especially when your life is on the line. But these are common errors that happen when a medical professional fails to give their undivided attention to their patient.Categories of SurgeryThere are three categories of surgery. A hospital’s negligence in diagnosing the appropriate kind of surgery necessary for their patient classifies as surgical medical malpractice.
Emergency surgery is surgery that must be performed immediately. Even a twenty-minute delay can make the difference in determining if a patient lives or dies.
Urgent surgery must be conducted within a couple of hours
Elective surgery can be put off for a period of time to ensure that all procedures have been taken to best optimize the patient’s health
Common Surgeries Where Errors OccurThere are inherent risks in any surgical procedure. However, some are more prone to surgical malpractice than others:
Cardiothoracic
Gastric Bypass
Child Birth
Cosmetic Surgery
Thoracic Surgery
Even though these are the most common surgeries for malpractice cases, you should not let this delay your decision to opt for surgery. Surgeons are trained professionals and the majority of surgeries do not result in personal injury or death.