Indianapolis, IN Lawyers for Items Left in Body after Hysterectomy
Hospitals and other healthcare facilities often have procedures in place to protect the safety of their patients. It is important that all medical personnel follow these policies and procedures in order to protect the patients that are in their care from injury or serious harm. When a healthcare provider fails to follow proper procedures and fails to remove surgical implements from patients after surgery, the effects can be serious or in some cases deadly.
Surgery can be a common treatment for a variety of illnesses or ailments. Patients rely on their doctor to not only be well-educated and knowledgeable about the procedure they will perform but also have their well-being as a top priority. Medical professionals are expected to follow facility policies and procedures to ensure the safety and health of their patients.
To reduce the likelihood of injury, many hospitals have procedures in place to reduce foreign objects retained after surgery. These types of errors are completely preventable and can have a life-threatening impact on a patient. Most policies require medical personnel to perform and have verified an instrument count prior to and directly after a surgery to ensure that no objects are left inside a patient.
The potential for retained instruments is higher in some situations. Emergency surgery requires a quick response by the medical team. Because of the timing of this type of surgery a complete instrument count may not be done. When an unexpected complication occurs during surgery, additional tools may be needed and may not always be accounted for prior to and after use. Procedures which include major body cavities such as the pelvis or abdomen carry a higher risk for foreign objects retained after surgery.
Retained Foreign Object Medical Malpractice Claim
At the conclusion of a hysterectomy, the Gynecologist Surgeon and surgical nurses at the Hospital in Fort Wayne, Indiana, failed to remove a blue surgical towel that they had used to keep the peritoneal (stomach) contents away from the uterus and fallopian tubes. The towel caused the patient to have an ileus (bowels not working) and a bowel obstruction. The towel was finally discovered five days after the surgery, but when removed it had adhered (stuck) to the bowel. The case settled for a significant amount.
Indiana Medical Malpractice Lawsuit
When a doctor performs surgery you literally put your life in their hands. You expect them to not only possess the skill and competency to perform the procedure; you also expect them to adhere to a duty of care for you as their patient. When medical personnel make an error by leaving a sponge, towel, clamp, or other surgical tools inside your body, they put your health at risk. Failure to properly count surgical instruments prior to and after a surgery can have a devastating impact on your life. Not only is a second surgery required to retrieve the item left behind, but you may also suffer illness or serious injury due to this serious error.
If you or someone you care about was seriously injured due to a medical professional making an error which caused a foreign object to be retained in your body after a surgery, contact us. Our Indianapolis medical malpractice attorneys have litigated cases for people originating in Muncie, Tipton, Lafayette, Fort Wayne, Lake County, and all across the state of Indiana and can discuss your claim and inform you of your legal rights and options.
There is no fee for your initial consultation and we do not collect fees until your claim is paid. Cohen & Malad, LLP has earned a well-respected reputation as a tough litigation firm in the courtroom and during negotiations and can bring Power to Your Voice.
