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
Example of Surgical Errors: Laparoscopy or Keyhole Surgery
LAPAROSCOPY OR KEYHOLE SURGERY
The techniques of Laparoscopy or Keyhole Surgery involves tiny cameras being inserted into the patient’s body (often abdomen) that enhance the surgeon’s vision when the images are projected onto a video screen, and help guide with great accuracy a scalpel or laser or other instrument. This requires a high level of skill and good eye to hand coordination as looking at a screen rather than directly at the organ being operated upon is challenging to say the least. Most Laparoscopy or Keyhole Surgery techniques are very successful and post-operative recovery times are greatly reduced, but occasionally things can go disastrously wrong. There have been several reported cases of the wrong part of the bile duct being cut during routine gall bladder surgery using laparoscopic techniques with very serious consequences.
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
COSMETIC SURGERY CASE STUDY
COMPENSATION SETTLEMENT £15,000.00
24 year old Tracy had a breast augmentation and requested that her 32 A cup breasts be enlarged to a 36 D cup using silicone implants. She also wanted the breasts to be uplifted a little. Her surgeon assured her that he had done hundreds of similar operations.
Following surgery Tracy was horrified to discover that only the right breast was 36D and the left breast was considerably smaller. To make things even worse one breast was noticeably higher than the other. She found the result completely unacceptable.
She consulted another surgeon who performed corrective surgery for which she had to pay several thousand pounds. Tracy successfully sued the first surgeon for clinical negligence and received damages of £15,000.
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 0845 402 0001.
