Surgical errors come in various forms. A surgeon might leave an object in your body, operate on the wrong part of your body, or even use the wrong drugs during the surgery. These mistakes might constitute medical malpractice if they worsen your medical condition or cause new health issues. Below are some of the common reasons surgical errors occur.

Fatigue affects both mental and physical capabilities. A tired surgeon might not make as good decisions as an energetic one. Common reasons for fatigue include:

• Long working hours
• Understaffing
• Inadequate sleep
• Improper shift design

Most of the above reasons are connected. For example, a surgeon in an understaffed hospital might have to work long hours overnight, which means inadequate sleep and, eventually, fatigue.

Intoxication, either form alcohol or other drugs, also makes a doctor more prone to mistakes because it can lead to physical and mental impairments. Here are some specific effects of intoxication:

• Impaired hand-eye coordination
• Reduced reaction time
• Vision impairment
• Impaired judgment

For example, an intoxicated surgeon with impaired hand-eye coordination might damage tissues or organs near the surgical site.

Most surgeons stay sober during work hours, but there are exceptions to the rule. A surgeon might take alcohol to calm their nerves or take stimulants to deal with fatigue and stay alert.

Successful surgery requires an efficient flow of communication between different parties. The doctor and their patient as well as the lead surgeon and their team need to communicate properly. A breakdown in communication can easily harm the patient. Here are some examples of how miscommunication can lead to surgical errors:

• A surgeon fails to request all the equipment they need for surgery.
• A surgical nurse marks the wrong surgical site because they didn't understand the surgeon's instructions.
• The surgical team doesn't receive the patient's complete medical records and uses the wrong drugs on the patient.

Typical causes of miscommunication include poor handwriting, fatigue, hearing impairment, vision impairment, and malfunctions of communication tools, such as fax machines.

All surgeries carry some risks. Surgeons and their helpers must prepare adequately to minimize these risks. Below are some of the ways surgical teams prepare for surgeries:

• They review medical histories
• They practice or go through the motions of the procedure
• They use surgical stimulators for practice
• They review the medical procedure
• They ensure all the equipment and materials are available
• They clean and sterilize their equipment

Medical providers have standard operating procedures on how they prepare for surgery. Failure to adhere to these procedures can easily lead to an injury. Consider a case where a patient is allergic to a drug or material, but the surgeon doesn't know that because they didn't review the medical records. Such a mistake can lead to a serious allergic reaction in the patient.

Most doctors or surgeons are fully competent in the procedures they perform. Occasionally, however, a surgeon or a member of a surgical team does something below their competency. Common causes of incompetence include:

• Inexperience
• Inadequate education and training
• Wrong specialization

Medical professionals have different reasons for working while incompetent. For example, an understaffed medical center might allow an incompetent surgeon to operate on a patient. Another example is an incompetent surgeon who wants to bolster their experience. Financial rewards can also make people take cases beyond their skill set.

Everyone makes mistakes. However, your surgeon has your health and life in your hand, and they shouldn't make avoidable mistakes. William C. Poole Attorney at Law has a wealth of experience with medical malpractice cases. Contact us if you have suffered a surgical error. We will review your case and determine whether you have a viable medical malpractice case.