Learn more about surgical site errors
A surgical site error occurs when a physician operates on the wrong area of the body. Though this may seem like a highly unlikely circumstance, estimates that these and similar types of mistakes happen approximately 80 times per week in operating rooms across the country. Some other surgical errors include performing surgery on the wrong patient or performing the wrong procedure. Leaving surgical objects inside of the patient is another common problem.
Examples of surgical site errors are as follows:
- Removal of a patient’s right kidney, when the left kidney is believed to have a cancerous mass.
- A surgery performed on the wrong level of the spine.
- A thyroidectomy of a patient’s right thyroid, when the left thyroid was diagnosed with nodules.
The consequences of a surgical site error can be significant. The patient may need to undergo additional surgery if the mistake is not corrected during the initial procedure. Victims may also suffer from prolonged, unnecessary pain due to healing from the wrongful surgery and from the original condition being left untreated.
The number of wrong-site surgeries, where doctors operate on the wrong person, body part, or perform the wrong procedure, happens much too frequently in America. In this podcast segment, Partner Kerry D. Staton discusses wrong-site surgeries, and how communication errors between health-care professionals are almost always responsible for the mistakes. Click here to listen.
Experienced medical malpractice attorneys represent families in Washington D.C., Baltimore, and throughout Maryland
The Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene offers physicians and medical facilities some guidance for preventing these avoidable incidents. Some tips include:
- The surgical site should be properly identified at the pre-op appointment.
- All diagnostic materials should be clearly labeled.
- Staff members should use consistent verification procedures to ensure proper surgical sites.
- Compliance with procedures and regulations should be monitored regularly.
An experienced medical malpractice lawyer can help you determine what procedures were in place at the time of your surgery and whether or not they were properly followed.
Award winning attorneys in Baltimore and Washington D.C. fight for maximum compensation for surgical site error victims
If you or someone you love suffered harm as the result of a surgical site error, contact the medical malpractice law firm of Schochor, Staton, Goldberg and Cardea, P.A. Not only have our lawyers been rated highly by Best Lawyers™, Super Lawyers™, Martindale-Hubbell™, and more, we have recovered millions of dollars in settlements and verdicts on behalf of our clients. With offices in Baltimore and Washington D.C., the attorneys of Schochor, Staton, Goldberg and Cardea, P.A. have the knowledge to successfully assist you with your claim. Contact the office at 410-234-1000 to arrange a confidential consultation.
