Wrong Site Surgery

With all the preparation that goes into a surgical procedure, it is implausible that an operation could be performed on the wrong part of the body or even on an entirely different patient! But, there were 84 incidents like these reported in 2007 alone. Experts claim that number is only a slice of the actual total because numerous states do not mandate hospitals to report mistakes of this kind. As a result, there may be many more instances of wrong site surgery that are kept quiet.

Negligence leading to wrong site surgery

Negligence or malpractice on behalf of a physician is always the culprit in wrong site surgery cases. Common occurrences of negligence that could contribute to such a mistake include:

Poor or hurried preoperational planning.
Failure to abide by official operative guidelines.
Lack of communication between the patient, doctor, and his/her medical team.
Involvement of too many surgeons that are not on the same page.
Confusion caused by more than one procedure being performed during the same surgery session.
Physicians operating with drugs and/or alcohol in their system.

Consequences of wrong site surgery

The consequences of wrong site surgery take quite a physical, emotional, and financial toll on the victim and their family. In a diminutive number of these cases, the patient escapes surgery in the same condition as they entered it. However, some end in inadvertent amputation and even death. Situations where the patient survives usually call for further corrective operations to fix the newfound problems created by tampering with perfectly healthy tissue, organs, etc.

Patients typically prepare for operations weeks ahead of time, and that means absences from work and cancelling prior engagements. If more corrective surgery is required, patients will have to take even more time off. Moreover, patients who have endured wrong site surgery still need to undergo the original procedure that got them into this mess, meaning they will continue to risk infection and any other complications commonly associated with the operation.

Luckily for wrong site surgery victims, surgeons and other medical staffers who act negligently, whether they meant to or not, can be held accountable for their errant behavior. If you or someone you love has been devastated by wrong site surgery, you could be the beneficiary of compensation for your physical and emotional suffering as well as financial losses. Contact a Florida medical malpractice attorney who has dealt with previous wrong site surgery cases to find out what the future has in store for you.

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