Thousands of surgeries are performed in Illinois and throughout the country every day. The majority of these operations are conducted without incident, and patients quickly begin the healing or rehabilitation process. However, surgical errors may result in serious complications to a patient. This negligence from a medical team can cause catastrophic repercussions.
Recently, a hospital in another state was fined for leaving a foreign object inside a patient after surgery. In April 2014, a man had gone into a hospital for an operation. Rather than feeling better after the surgery, he stated that he had lost a significant amount of weight, had no energy and felt like he might die, according to a statement from the state’s Department of Public Health.
Upon examination, it was discovered that a surgical towel had been left in the man’s body following the surgery. An investigation determined that while medical tools were monitored during the procedure, the towels were not. When the man returned to the hospital after the surgery, he was originally told he had a mass growing in his body. The man thought he had a serious illness.
Operating procedures are now in place to keep track of these items used in surgery. The state of California fined the hospital for this error. While the state governing body fined the hospital, the facility and the physicians involved may face a lawsuit regarding the errors made.
When someone becomes ill from a hospital’s surgical errors, it is helpful to contact an Illinois medical malpractice attorney. A dedicated lawyer is a valuable resource to families when reviewing all the details of a case. An experienced attorney can help develop a strategy to seek compensation for expenses incurred and other damages.
Source: americanow.com, “Hospital Fined After Leaving Towel In Patient’s Stomach”, Brendan Kelly, April 17, 2017