What are Surgical Errors?

Surgery is a medical procedure that is supposed to help a patient whenever they have a damaging condition or suffer significant injury. Never should there be situations in which the patient suffers significantly harmful repercussions of having surgery for their problems.

Unfortunately, these types of errors happen and can be harmful to a patient. If you've been a victim of a surgical error, know that you have specific rights to hold the parties responsible for the harm they've caused you. Here are the different types of surgical errors that can occur.

Surgery Performed On the Wrong Person

There are times when miscommunication can occur on a patient's chart or in the hospital's system. Unfortunately, this can lead to a patient undergoing surgery they don't need for an injury or illness they don't have. This is typically a result of misdiagnosis, but it can lead to significant harm when the wrong person is operated on by the doctor.

Surgery Performed On the Wrong Body Part

Misdiagnosis can also lead to a patient undergoing surgery on the wrong part of his or her body. Many times, this is due to the doctor determining a problem stems from one area of the body, but it really is something else causing the problem. For instance, it can occur when stomach pains arise and the doctor chalks it up to one organ when it is really another.

Items Left Inside a Patient After Surgery

Following the surgery, when stitching a patient, the doctor and medical team must ensure that there are no items left inside the patient. This includes objects such as surgical tools, gauze, or anything that can result in organ harm or infections.

Other Types of Surgical Errors

Other surgical errors can include the following:

• The doctor injuring a nerve, puncturing an organ, or creating additional problems during the surgery
• The anesthesiologist administering too much or too little anesthesia
• The doctor performing an incision in the wrong area

If you or someone you love suffered an injury due to a surgical error, you deserve to speak with our Corpus Christi medical malpractice lawyers about what rights you have. You should know your options to take legal action against the negligent party.

Trust our team at The Edwards Law Firm to work on your side and guide you through the process every step of the way. We're here to protect your best interests and you can count on us to pursue the maximum compensation to which you may be entitled.

Speak with our firm in a free consultation. Call today: 361-698-7600.