There are many different parameters to establish whether complications in a surgery should result in a medical malpractice lawsuit or not. If the negligent conduct of a surgeon falls below the standard of care that is acceptable, as compared to that provided by reasonably competent surgeons practicing that area of surgery under similar circumstances, and if a patient is harmed in the process, it can be viewed as a surgical error.
Mistakes that are preventable are most likely to be referred to as surgical errors. There are some surgical errors that are the direct result of the incompetence of a physician, while others that arise due to inadequate procedures or work processes or poor preoperative planning.
In American hospitals, every year thousands of patients suffer from surgical errors. According to a study conducted by the Institute of Medicine in 1999, medical errors, including those from surgery, were estimated to have affected 44,000 to 98,000 patients each year. Almost all types of surgeries such as joint replacement, heart surgeries, organ transplants, etc. come with their own set of complications that may lead to errors which in turn, are grounds for medical malpractice.
Common Types of Surgical Errors
Some of the most common types of surgical errors are:
Every surgery does come with some degree of complication or risks such as a stroke or a heart failure. There are some surgeries where patients are required to sign consent forms which have advised them about these perceived risks. But some errors tend to go beyond these accepted risks.
Common Causes of Surgical Errors
There are certain standard protocols for physicians and medical staff to follow before, during, and after a surgical procedure. However, even despite these protocols, surgical errors might be caused due to the following factors:
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