Tools Left in the Body after Surgery

While you are preparing for surgery, you have enough to worry about without having to imagine the damages that could be caused if the surgical team leaves tools in your body after the process. It may be shocking to contemplate, but this does occur. In fact, around 1,500 people suffer from this problem each year, according to medical studies.

When tools are left in the body after surgery, they can cause internal damages and infections. If you have suffered from this preventable injury, you should hold the surgical staff accountable for their negligence. To discuss your case, contact a Chicago personal injury lawyer from the respected firm of Friedman & Bonebrake, P.C. today at 312-466-8200.

Risk Factors for Lost Instruments

Patients are never to blame for negligence on behalf of surgical teams. However, there are certain risk factors that make some patients more vulnerable to this problem than others. Some of the risk factors for having surgical tools left in your body include:

• Changes in the medical plan mid-operation
• Medical obesity
• Emergency surgeries that allow for little preparation time

Surgery in the abdominal cavity is the most likely to result in tools behind left in the body, following by surgery in the thoracic cavity. Sponges are the most commonly lost instrument, although there have been incidences regarding misplaced knives, needles, cloths, clamps, swabs, and catheters. No matter what the specific circumstances are, this is a negligent and dangerous surgical error.

Contact Us

Statistically about two people per week suffer from retained foreign objects after surgery. If this has happened to you, you may be eligible for financial compensation. For more information regarding medical malpractice, contact at Chicago medical malpractice attorney from Friedman & Bonebrake, P.C., at 312-466-8200.