Most Common Surgical Errors

Every year, millions of people go into surgery expecting the utmost care, but sometimes that’s not the case. Surgical errors can have detrimental consequences for patients, leading to severe complications, injuries, and even death. According to the National Library of Medicine, around 4,000 surgical errors happen every year in the U.S. Our team at Grossman Roth Yaffa Cohen put together this blog to help readers understand the most common surgical errors. Continue reading for more information.

Foreign Objects Left Behind

Surgeons and medical staff mistakenly leave foreign objects inside the body following a procedure more often than most think. Also referred to as retained surgical foreign bodies (RSFB), foreign objects left behind after surgery include gauze, needles, and sponges. It is estimated that there are around 1,5000 cases of RSFB each year.

Anesthesia Errors

Errors in anesthesia is also a common surgical complication, affecting over 1.5 million Americans yearly. These errors can happen for a variety of reasons; some include:

• Failing to monitor the patient during surgery
• Administering the wrong amount of anesthesia
• Making assumptions about the patient’s health

Infections

Infections are common after medical procedures, but sometimes, they result from a healthcare professional’s negligence. Some common instances of negligence causing infections post-surgery include:

• Using un-sanitized instruments
• Not using proper gloves, masks, or other PPE
• Failing to dispense prophylaxis antibiotics and tend to wounds

Wrong Site Surgery

Unfortunately, in many cases, surgeons perform the wrong surgery or operate on the wrong party of the body. This type of surgical error happens at least 40 times a week in the U.S.

We’re Here to Help

Getting the care you need after a significant surgical error is critical. If you know that your injuries resulted from a healthcare professional’s negligence, you have a viable medical malpractice case on your hands. Our medical malpractice attorneys at Grossman Roth Yaffa Cohen can work with you to strengthen your case and get you the maximum compensation you deserve.

Call our South Florida office today at or visit our website to get started on a consultation request form.