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When a patient seeks or requires a surgical
procedure, they are typically informed about risks associated with the surgical
procedure. Practically all surgeries carry some risk of anesthesia
reactions, blood clots, infection, cardiovascular complications, and healing
complications. However, patients who undergo surgery do not typically anticipate
surgical errors. Surgical patients reasonably believe that the surgeon and
medical team performing the procedure are competent, experienced, and prudent
enough to perform the surgery without error.
Unfortunately, surgical errors are not as uncommon as we would like to believe.
Thousands of people are injured every year by surgical errors related to medical
negligence. According to the Institute of Medicine, about 98,000 hospital
patients are killed every year as a direct result of medical malpractice.
Medical negligence, or malpractice, involves a medical professional's failure to
exercise the skill, care, and prudence necessary to prevent causing a patient
injury or illness. Surgical errors are some of the most shocking and devastating
of all medical mistakes.
A majority of surgical errors occur during the procedure itself. Surgical errors
involving anesthesia are often life threatening, posing the risk of:
permanent
brain damage
asphyxia
coma
organ damage
cardiovascular problems
death
Some examples of the most common devastating
surgical errors made by negligent, careless, or inexperienced medical
professionals include:
Incorrect incisions
Use of un-sterile equipment
Damage (i.e. puncture or perforation) to nearby organs
Nerve damage
Polonged surgery
Some cases of medical malpractice involve surgical instruments or sponges being
left in a patient to cause serious post-operative damage. Between 60 and 70
cases of wrong site surgery are reported every year. One of the most drastic of
surgical errors, wrong site surgery involves operating on the wrong part of a
patient or the wrong patient altogether.
Surgical errors can also occur in the post-operative phase. Substandard
aftercare can lead to infection, septic shock, delayed healing, and other life
threatening medical consequences.
While surgical errors can be made during any procedure, they are more likely
during gastric bypass surgery, laparoscopic procedures, plastic surgery, and
obstetric procedures.
If you were injured due during surgery or in the care of a physician in Pennsylvania or elsewhere in the state, please contact Munley, Munley & Cartwright. Our goal is to provide exceptional legal services to our clients. We strive to achieve the highest standard of excellence for the protection of individual rights through team work and the use of our considerable resources and experience.
If you have been injured as a result of a surgical error or have experienced the wrongful death of a loved one due to
medical malpractice, Munley, Munley & Cartwright, of Scranton, Pennsylvania can help you.
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