Wrong-site surgery is one of the most serious types of medical malpractice. In the medical world, it’s referred to as a never event. This doesn’t mean that it can’t happen, but simply that it never should. If it does, something has gone very wrong.
It’s important for patients and their families to know what issues to look for. To that end, it’s helpful to consider that there are three different types of wrong-site surgery.
1. The wrong side of the body
To begin with, a very common error is operating on the wrong side of someone’s body. Perhaps someone needs surgery on their left wrist, but the surgeon accidentally carries the procedure out on their right wrist. This could be a significant error because the person doesn’t get the treatment they need and could suffer unintended injuries.
2. Carrying out the wrong procedure
Another issue is when the surgeon performs the wrong surgery entirely. The patient doesn’t get the procedure they expected, and their actual ailment isn’t treated, even if the surgery is carried out on the correct side of the body or the correct body part.
3. Operating on the wrong patient
Finally, this issue sometimes comes up when a surgeon operates on the wrong person. Maybe two patients have similar names, but one is in for back surgery and the other is in for knee surgery. The medical records get mixed up, and the surgeon performs back surgery on someone who was only expecting to have surgery on their knee.
These are dire mistakes that can have life-altering ramifications. Those who have suffered harm must know what legal options they have.