Many medical operations are so commonplace that patients agree to them with hardly a pause. That can be a good thing: surgical procedures are often necessary and indisputably improve the patient’s quality of life. But what if a routine procedure results in severe complications due to a medical error? The fact of the matter is that patients find themselves in emergency rooms more often than you’d think due to a retained foreign body. Indeed, surgical instruments like clamps, sponges, and other items are sometimes left behind after the surgeon sews up a patient. The results can be devastating. If you or a loved one encounters this situation, a local personal injury attorney may be able to help.
How often does it Occur?
Estimates put this type of error at two per year in a typical hospital. Compared to the number of operations performed annually, the percentage is small. Nonetheless, the outcomes can be severe for the people affected by this type of error. Often, patients are discharged following surgery feeling like they are on the mend; it may take weeks or months for symptoms of a problem, including digestive issues, nausea and vomiting, pain, or fever. If enough time has passed, patients may not make the connection between current symptoms and the previous operation. When things get intolerable, they may wind up back in the emergency room, where they find out through a series of expensive tests and imaging that a sponge, forceps, or another device was accidentally left behind following the earlier surgery.
Most Commonly Left Items
According to the Journal of the American College of Surgeons, gauze and sponges are often left in a wound following an operation. Why? These items can be difficult to see after becoming blood-soaked, especially when the surgery is in a cavernous area of the body, such as the abdomen, pelvis, or vagina. Medical protocol requires nurses to keep an accurate count of these materials as they are placed in the body, but errors can and do occur. Particularly in emergencies, when time is critical, there is a potential for human error.
Radiofrequency Detection
Modern technological systems exist to prevent these errors, including bar coding systems and radiofrequency detection devices. Although these new devices are proven to decrease mistakes by up to 90 percent, they are not frequently utilized except as backup procedures.
Consequences of these Mistakes
Studies show that the typical cost of removing these items runs over $60,000. Often, patients require further surgeries with increased medical risks and financial trauma. But money is the least essential consequence. The pain and suffering, time away from regular activity, and emotional costs associated with this type of error can be overwhelming. Lawsuits related to these types of incidents sometimes run upward of $5 million. If you have been burdened with this type of medical scenario, the experienced personal injury team at the office of Derek L. Hall, PC, The Heavy Hitter, will fight aggressively for justice on your behalf. Contact us today for a free, confidential consultation.
