Bernstein & Maryanoff

Florida Medical Malpractice Lawyers
Describing Common Surgical Errors

When people become ill or are injured and require surgery, they are many times putting their lives in the hands of medical professionals.  Surgeons are highly trained and highly skilled professionals who are generally competent when it comes to surgical procedures, but like anything else, mistakes can and do occur.  When they occur in a surgical setting, the consequences can be disastrous if not deadly.  Below is a brief overview of some common surgical errors , and if you or someone you love has been harmed in this manner, seek the help of experienced Florida medical malpractice lawyers as soon as possible.

Surgical Error – Wrong Body Part

As bizarre and as unbelievable as it may seem, there have been many cases over the years that have dealt with surgeons operating on the wrong body part of the patient, including cases involving amputating the wrong limb.  It’s generally up to everyone in the operating room to make sure that the surgery is done in the proper location, and when it’s not, patients will require additional surgery to deal with the original problem.

Surgical Error – Failure to Remove Instruments

Once again, as incredible as it may seem to those who are not involved with these situations regularly, one of the most common errors made during surgery involves failing to remove instruments used during surgery from the body of the patient.  Cases in recent years have involved the need for patients to have scalpels and sponges removed from the original surgery location after experiencing excruciating pain and contracting additional illnesses and injuries.

Surgical Error – Organ Damage

Many surgeries involve locations inside the body that sit next to sensitive organs.  Surgeons need to take great care to avoid harming those organs while performing these operations, but unfortunately that is not always what occurs.  Patients have had lungs punctured and even their hearts injured because of one small misstep that occurs during surgery that goes unnoticed until the patient has suffered immensely as a result.

Surgical Error – Failure to Clean Surgical Instruments

Clearly, any exposure of a patient’s internal organs and tissues to the outside world involves risk, as these locations are extremely vulnerable to bacteria and viruses.  Unfortunately, many people have fallen ill because surgeons or members of the surgical team failed to make sure that the instruments used during the procedure were properly cleaned and sterilized.

If you or someone you love has suffered as a result of a surgical error, you do have legal rights and options.  Seek the help of Florida medical malpractice lawyers who have been holding those responsible for these errors accountable for many years.  Contact Bernstein & Maryanoff today to schedule a free initial consultation.