As a patient, you understand that surgery is a delicate process and that there is always a certain amount of risk to expect. What you do not expect is that a surgeon could perform surgery on the wrong part of your body after spending so much time discussing the issue with doctors and explaining your symptoms.
Unfortunately, wrong-site surgery is an example of medical malpractice that occurs more often than any hospital would care to admit. If someone in your life is a victim of wrong-site surgery, you likely have questions about how this mistake could happen and what the next steps should be.
Common causes of wrong-site surgery
Wrong-site surgery is ultimately the result of negligence at some point in the medical process. It can happen due to miscommunication, patient mix-ups or blatant carelessness. Surgeons perform many routine operations, so they do not often anticipate the simplest mistakes.
What to do when something goes wrong
When medical professionals perform the incorrect operation on you, the most obvious sign is that your previous symptoms will continue. Additionally, you may experience a fever as well as pain or other issues at the site of the wrongful surgery. If medical personnel are aware of the error, they have an obligation to disclose it to the patient. Your priority in such a scenario is to quickly secure your health and then pursue financial compensation for your suffering and the medical expenses incurred.
Wrong-site or wrong-side surgery is an extremely serious medical error that can cost a patient their life. While victims can file a medical malpractice claim against the guilty parties, there is no amount that can fully forgive such an act of negligence.