If, like many people, you believe that surgical errors are more likely to occur during complicated procedures, you are mistaken. The fact is that errors are more common in operations that are performed the most frequently. When a surgical error occurs, people may be left with devastating, long-term effects. Here are the five errors that occur the most often.
1. Wrong Patient
It is frightening to think that the wrong person could be operated on, but it happens. Miscommunication and chart mix-ups can lead to a patient having an unnecessary surgery. This can mean that a person may end up with issues or complications that they otherwise would not have.
2. Wrong Site
If you have had surgery on a limb, the nurse or doctor may have asked you to put a mark on that limb and to sign a form. This is because wrong sides are operated on too frequently. Imagine having a healthy limb amputated and a diseased or damaged one left behind.
3. Foreign Objects Left
Surgeons and surgical staff leave gauze, pads, scalpels and other objects behind in the bodies of patients. This can cause infection, pain and even death. A simple materials checklist could prevent this type of mistake.
4. Anesthesia Errors
These are often the most deadly of surgical mistakes. If too much anesthesia is delivered, the patient gets too little oxygen to the brain. If an insufficient amount of anesthesia is given, the patient can wake up during the procedure and experience extraordinary pain.
5. Nerve Damage
Surgery involves cutting through many layers of tissue. One wrong move with a scalpel blade can cause irreparable damage. Nerve damage after surgery is too common and, at times, leads to chronic pain or permanent disability.
People get nervous about having surgery and rightly so. Those anxious feelings, however, should not involve the worry that a doctor or surgeon will make a grave mistake. Unfortunately, the five errors above are more common than they should be.
If you believe that you or a loved one has been injured during a surgery in Charleston, reach out to our team. We will provide you with a free initial consultation and advise you of the options available to you. Call today or browse our website for more information about our firm.
