Wrong Site Surgeries

When patients undergo surgery, they trust their doctor to perform an operation that will correct their medical problem, not cause more pain and suffering. But when doctors mistakenly operate on the wrong site or perform the wrong procedure, the consequences can be catastrophic.

Wrong site surgical errors occur frequently enough that the Joint Commission, an independent, not-for-profit organization that accredits and certifies more than 17,000 hospitals and health care facilities, has issued two alerts about the problem. Despite development of protocols and medical summits to try to prevent wrong site surgery, the number of wrong site surgical errors has steadily increased in the last decade.

In 2008, the Joint Commission reported about 116 cases of wrong site surgery. In fact, wrong site surgeries were the most common type of error tracked by the commission in 2008, ahead of medication errors, delays in treatment and leaving foreign objects in a patient after surgery. Still, the number of cases reported may significantly understate the problem.

If you or a loved one has been the victim of a wrong site surgical error, you certainly have been harmed through no fault of your own. The law gives you legal rights to seek compensation for your harm. It’s important that you talk to an experienced medical malpractice lawyer who has handled wrong site surgery cases to understand your legal options. The lawyers at Munley, Munley & Cartwright have extensive experience investigating wrong site surgical errors. We can put that experience to work on behalf of you or your family. Call us toll free at 877-421-9173 or contact us online for a free consultation.

A number of factors contribute to an increased risk of wrong site or wrong procedure surgical errors, including emergency cases, unusual physical characteristics such as morbid obesity, time pressure to start or complete a procedure, an unusual set-up in the operating room, the involvement of multiple surgeons or multiple procedures being performed at the same time.

Wrong site surgeries occur more frequently in orthopedic and podiatric surgery, neurosurgery, urologic surgery and general surgery. The American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons has reported that wrong site surgery was most common in arthroscopic knee procedures.

The majority of instances of wrong site surgeries involve a breakdown in communication among the surgical team and the patient and family. You and your surgeon should agree on exactly what will be done during surgery. You should insist on having the surgical site marked with a permanent marker and be involved in marking the site. If you cannot be awake when the marking occurs, have a family member assist.

If you have undergone surgery on the wrong body part, you’re facing recovery from the surgery and additional operations to fix the original problem. You shouldn’t have to worry about medical bills or providing for your family while you recover. We can use our experience in handling these medical cases to your advantage.

Individuals who have had surgery on the wrong site or undergone the wrong procedure should contact our office to learn your important legal rights and options. At Munley, Munley & Cartwright, we strive to achieve the highest standard of excellence for the protection of individual rights. For a free consultation regarding your legal concerns, contact us online today or call us toll free at 877-421-9173.