According to a Johns Hopkins University study, at least 4,000 surgical “never events,” or preventable mistakes that should never happen, do happen in the United States. The actual occurrence of surgical errors is likely higher because many of these “never events” are unreported. Regardless of the true number of surgical errors that may occur, the fact of the matter is that the effect on the patient can be devastating, both physically and emotionally.
Some of the most common surgical errors include:
- Wrong site surgery – surgery performed on the wrong side of the body or at the wrong site on the body
- Surgery performed on the wrong patient – mix-ups in patient charts, poor communication between the surgical team, and failure to verify patient information prior to surgery can lead to the shocking result of a patient receiving an unnecessary surgery because he has been mistake for someone else
- Surgical instruments left inside the patient – every year, thousands of surgical instruments, such as clamps, scalpels, and sponges, are left inside a patient after surgery. These items may go undetected for weeks, months, and even years, and are often not detected until they begin to cause problems for the patient, including infections that can lead to loss of organs and even death
- Wrong surgical procedure performed – in these instances, a surgery other than what was intended is performed, and can be the result many factors, including poor communication between the surgical team, failure to use a surgical checklist, incorrect incision mark on the patient, and even fatigue
- Use of unsanitary surgical tools – when tools are not sterile, they can lead to infections that may become life-threatening
Why Do Surgical Errors Happen?
Although some surgical errors occur because of the incompetence of the surgeon, far more are the product of poor preoperative planning, inadequate hospital procedures or technology/equipment issues. Some specific examples include:
- Performance of multiple surgical procedures at the same time
- Incorrectly marking the incision or insertion site on the patient
- Fatigue of members of the surgical team due to either mandatory or voluntary overtime
- Inadequate training of members of the surgical team, especially when new surgical equipment is introduced
- Poor communication between members of the surgical team
Although healthcare providers will inevitably make mistakes, there are certain processes and checks that hospitals should undertake to ensure that the likelihood of an error occurring is as low as possible, such as a preoperative check to ensure that all the patient’s charts and documents, as well as all surgical tools and equipment, are available, and multiple checks before the surgery begins to confirm the patient’s identity and what procedure is to be performed.
A Firm with Experience
At Pita Weber Del Prado, we know what it takes to prepare for a medical malpractice lawsuit, and we have the skills necessary to assist our clients during their fight for justice. If you or a loved one has been harmed by a surgical error, do not hesitate to contact one of our surgical error lawyers in our Miami office. We will patiently discuss your options in a confidential setting. Your first consultation is free. Call us today at 305-670-2889.
