According to Experts, These Are the 7 Deadliest Surgeries
The Journal of the American Medical Association Surgery recently reported that out of the nearly three million surgeries are performed annually, around 80 percent of deaths, complications, and costs are caused by seven emergency surgery procedures. These emergency procedures can range from a fairly simple operation to a highly invasive procedure, but they all have one common factor. Medical errors in emergency surgery are taking thousands of American lives each year.
Researchers have examined more than 400,000 patient records dating from 2008 to 2011. They found that seven surgeries in the abdominal and digestive systems are the cause of an overwhelming majority of patient fatalities. These procedures included:
- Removing part of the colon
- Small-bowel resection
- Gallbladder removal
- Operations for peptic ulcer disease
- Removing abdominal adhesions
- Appendectomy
- Other abdominal operations
It’s true that all surgeries come with some degree of risk, the following operations have an abnormally high chance of causing death and serious injuries. These surgeries include:
- Internal bleeding
- Infections
- Adhesion
- Shock
- Intestinal obstruction
Any potential surgery complication can quickly lead to a life-threatening situation. According to the study, nearly 15 percent of patients who had surgery on their GI tract had to be re-admitted to the medical facility due to complications a month after the surgery.
These statistics are tragic because many of the complications and fatalities suffered by these patients are preventable if it weren’t for mistakes made in their medical treatment.
Our health care system has a serious issue with medical malpractice. Each year, we lose too many people due to inexcusable medical errors. All medical practitioners owe a duty of care to their patients and are expected to act in accordance with the standard of care in the field. When the nurses, physicians, and other health care professionals responsible for your treatment fail to uphold their duty to provide quality care, they can be held accountable for resulting injuries.
How Fatigue Can Impact Surgical Performance
Fatigue can make even the most skilled surgeon make a critical mistake. A lot of attention has been placed on how fatigued driving, specifically among truck drivers, can be dangerous. The same concerns can be applied to physicians. Health care professionals often have their patients’ best interests in mind — sometimes even to their own detriment. They may not realize how greatly fatigue can impact their performance or even how tired they really are at the time of surgery.
Fatigue can affect abilities just like intoxication, especially after being awake for more than 18 to 24 hours. Medical residents are not usually operating for these hours but they could be on active duty. Fatigue can lead to problems with judgment, attention, focus, and reaction time.
Shifts Are Getting Longer, Resulting in More Errors
Shifts for medical residents in the United States were capped in 2011 at 16 hours due to fatigue concerns. However, the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education has recently extended those limits to 28 hours for some residents, which went into effect on July 1, 2017. These shifts can even include 24 hours of patient care and extra hours transferring the patient to another physician.
These changes were justified by claims that 16-hour shifts were not always appropriate for the resident to perform a procedure and to make sure that all post-operative care was provided. There is an argument that there are educational benefits to longer shifts, but it doesn’t eliminate the risk of patient injuries resulting from physician fatigue.
Common Fatigue-Related Injuries
There are many errors that can be made due to a fatigued medical professional. Here are some of the most common mistakes resulting in serious injuries:
- Surgical errors. When a physician is performing surgery, he or she has to be fully aware of everything that is being done while being extremely precise. Fatigue can make a doctor’s thoughts cloudy. Even a momentary lapse or slip of the hand can result in severe and preventable injuries or complications on part of the patient.
- Medication errors. Receiving the accurate dosage of the correct medication is important to many patients. If a fatigued doctor forgets a dose, provides a double dose or gives the wrong medication to the wrong patient, it can lead to serious injuries.
At Brady Reilly & Cardoso, LLC, our team of personal injury lawyers are dedicated to helping victims of medical malpractice recover their deserved compensation. If you have suffered injuries while in the care of a health care professional trusted with your care or you have lost a loved one due to the negligence of medical caretakers, we can help you understand your rights and hold responsible parties accountable for their mistakes.
Our lawyers take the time to understand each case personally. To us, you’re more than just a case number. We know that you came to us for a reason and that what brought you were is probably one of the most traumatic events that will happen in your lifetime. We are ready to fight for the justice you deserve to make sure you and your family are able to recover from your injuries and get your life back on track.
Medical Malpractice Injuries in New Jersey
When we go to a hospital for treatment, it’s our expectation that our attending physician or medical professional will be able to competently provide the care we need. We all like to assume that medical malpractice is uncommon, but studies have found that it’s actually the third leading cause of death nationwide. Unfortunately, less than 2.9 percent of medical malpractice victims ever pursue a claim for rightful damages.
Patients who are unfairly injured under the care of a trusted physician have a right to pursue lost compensation for their injuries and losses. Brady Reilly & Cardoso, LLC is here to fight for the rights of those unfairly injured by a health care professional. Our team of New Jersey medical malpractice attorneys understand the law and can help you fight for the full value of your claim. Give us a call at (201) 997- 0030 to discuss your case today.
