Retained Surgical Instruments and Medical Malpractice

Having surgery is a major health event, and while you know there is a significant amount of recovery involved, surgery is intended to bolster your health ultimately. If a surgical instrument was left inside you in the process, however, your health has been seriously compromised. In fact, mistakes of this magnitude happen more often than you may realize, and the consequences can be dire. Our experienced Harrisburg medical malpractice attorneys at Mette Law are committed to helping you obtain the compensation you deserve.

Surgical Never Events

There are some surgical errors so serious and preventable that they are called never events because they should not happen. These include performing the wrong surgery or performing surgery on the wrong body part. Included on this list is leaving surgical instruments in the patient’s body.

When this happens, it is virtually always considered outside the standards of the medical profession. This means it does not meet the level of care most reasonable surgeons provide under similar circumstances, and it may support a successful medical malpractice claim.

Common Causes of Retained Surgical Instruments

Every case involving retained surgical instruments has its own unique set of circumstances. The primary causes of these dangerous errors, however, generally fall into basic categories. Consider the following:

• Often, retained surgical instrument claims are based on the surgical staff failing to accurately count the surgical instruments before, during, or following the surgery.
• A breakdown in communication between members of the surgical staff is another common concern.
• When the entire surgical team or a team member is exhausted, seriously overworked, or distracted, a surgical instrument is more likely to be left behind in the patient.
• Emergency surgeries tend to be high-stress, and they are more likely to be rushed or even chaotic. This increases the risk of surgical instruments being left behind.

The Outcome of Retained Surgical Instrument Cases

Surgical sponges are the surgical instrument that is most likely to be left behind during surgery. Needles, clamps, and scissors follow behind. If any one of these is left inside you, it can lead to a very serious infection, which can develop into dangerous complications that include chronic pain. When the instrument left behind has the capacity to cut, it can lead to organ perforation and worse.

You Need an Experienced Harrisburg Medical Malpractice Lawyer Backing You Up

If you’ve been harmed by a medical instrument that was left behind during surgery, the stakes are high, and you need skilled legal guidance on your side. Our seasoned Harrisburg medical malpractice attorneys at Mette Law dedicate our practice to helping our clients bring strong claims that support their most complete recoveries. We care about you and your claim, so contact us online or call our firm at 717-232-5000 for more information about how we can help you today.