How To Prevent A Surgical Error

by James Lewis

Jim is a Carolina injury attorney who handles car accidents, medical malpractice, FELA, wrongful death, etc.

When we go under the knife, either for a simple procedure or a dangerous or complicated surgery, we expect that our surgeons and those in the operating room are experts at what they do. However, all too often, operations lead to injury, permanent disability, and pain and suffering. Although not all surgical errors can be prevented, there are a few ways that patients can help reduce the probability of a surgical error before their own operation.

· Talk to your surgeon about the operation in detail. Ask questions as you see fit. Make sure he or she understand which body part is being operated on, while remembering that your right leg is the leg on the surgeon's left.

· Mark the right limb. Wrong limb surgery is a common surgical area. Don't hesitate to mark the limb that should be operated on with "Cut Here" and the limb that should not be operated on with "Wrong Arm" or Wrong Leg."

· Be honest with the anesthesiologist. He or she will ask you questions in order to determine how to safely put you under. Be truthful about your medical history and personal history. Not telling your anesthesiologist about certain medications you take or your alcohol intake could put you in danger.

· Follow doctor's orders. If your doctor tells you not to eat before surgery, follow his or her instructions.

· Ask if checklists and time-outs will be used during your surgery. A simple checklist can prevent a surgical sponge or clamp from being left in your abdominal cavity. A time out could prevent the wrong limb from being operated on.

· After the surgery, ask for your surgical records in case of complications.

· After the surgery, be honest with your doctor about how you are feeling as you recover. While some pain and minor complications are expected, some symptoms, such as a high fever, could be a sign that something has gone wrong.

About the Editors: Shapiro, Lewis & Appleton is a law firm whose attorneys focus on injury and accident law and have extensive experience handling medical malpractice cases. Please take a few moments to review our medical malpractice case results. We serve every area of North Carolina, including the Outer Banks, Nags Head and the western mountains, as well as all the cities and counties in between. In South Carolina, we cover the state from Myrtle Beach and Charleston to Orangeburg, Columbia, Florence, Rock Hill, Darlington, Aiken, Anderson, Greenville and Spartanburg.

Rick Shapiro and James Lewis have been included among the Best Lawyers in America since 2008 and we have been named one of the Best Injury Law Firms in North Carolina for personal injury law since 2010 by U.S. News & World Report. In addition, we have been listed in the National Million Dollar Advocates Forum since 2009 and our firm has the highest rating of AV from national lawyer ranking organization Martindale-Hubbell. That means we have a reputation for demonstrating preeminent legal skill.

We offer free special reports on the Top 10 Tips From Experienced Medical Malpractice Lawyers and the Top 5 Surgical Errors You Must Know About.

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