Why Do Surgical Mistakes Occur?

Often, people in Cambridge, and throughout Massachusetts, require surgical interventions. These procedures may be use to repair internal damage, address certain medical conditions or relieve other ailments. When they go in for surgery, people trust that their surgeons will make them better, not worse.

All too often, however, surgical mistakes occur and result in worsened medical conditions or death for patients. In many cases, these potentially life-threatening errors are preventable. LiveScience reports that unintentional foreign objects, such as sponges, being left inside patients occur in about one out of every 10,000 surgeries. Furthermore, surgeries are performed on the wrong site in approximately one out of every 100,000 procedures.

What are surgical never events?

Surgical mistakes that
When proper care is taken and safety protocols are followed, these types of mistakes are generally considered avoidable.

Why do preventable surgical mistakes occur?

There are numerous factors that may contribute to surgical never events. Surgeons have a professional responsibility to stay focused on the task at hand while performing surgical procedures. However, distractions can, and do, occur in the operating room, and may result in mistakes. Furthermore, protocols are often created and implemented to keep patients safe. Failure to comply with these precautions may result in the occurrence of these types of surgical errors.

Additionally, fatigue often plays a part in surgical never events. Surgeons and hospital staff often work long hours. As such, they may be tired and less alert when performing some procedures. Surgical mistakes may also occur as a result of poor communication between hospital staff members and surgeons.

What complications result from surgical never