Surgical Errors

A recent large study of medical negligence claims showed that half of all medical errors were associated with surgery. There seems no reason to suppose that surgeons make more mistakes than other health care professionals, and the explanation is probably that surgical errors are much easier to recognise than other medical mistakes.

Advances in technology mean that surgical procedures are changing all the time and sometimes when surgeons are on the "learning curve" of a new technique risk to the patient is increased.

Surgical Errors occur for all kinds of reasons from a basic lack of knowledge to the failure of a piece of machinery in expert hands, but the most common reasons are -

• Delay in operating
• Inadequate pre-operative assessment
• Unnecessary operations
• Delay in diagnosis
• Misdiagnosis resulting in delayed operation

Cosmetic Surgery

As demand for cosmetic surgery grows so do the numbers of adverse incidents. Legislation has been introduced to try and rectify the problems of lack of regulation and under-qualified doctors undertaking this lucrative type of work, but they remain an issue.

Many people undergoing cosmetic surgery underestimate the risks involved and are bitterly disappointed if results are not perfect. Common post operative complications of cosmetic surgery include -

• Infection
• Nerve injury
• Scarring
• Skin loss

If you are unhappy with the treatment you have received, results of the operation or believe the surgeon or hospital has been clinically or medically negligent please contact our specialist clinical negligence team for confidential advice via our online enquiry form or please contact us on 0800 054 6512.