How often do surgeons operate on the wrong body part?
40 times a week
Based on state data, Joint Commission officials estimate that wrong-site surgery occurs 40 times a week in U.S. hospitals and clinics. Last year 93 cases were reported to the accrediting organization, compared with 49 in 2004.
Can a surgeon operate on any part of the body?
A general surgeon operates on a wide range of conditions that can affect almost any part of your body. Colon and rectal surgeon. Patients with issues in any part of their intestines will probably see this specialist. Neurosurgeon.
Do surgeons operate on the wrong side of the head?
Concerns about surgeons operating on the wrong part of the body made headlines this week after The Providence Journal reported that on three separate occasions this year, surgeons at Rhode Island Hospital operated on the wrong side of a patient’s head.
What is wrongwrong-site surgery?
Wrong-site surgery may involve operating on the wrong side, as in the case of a patient who had the right side of her vulva removed when the cancerous lesion was on the left, or the incorrect body site. One example of surgery on the incorrect site is operating on the wrong level of the spine, a surprisingly common issue for neurosurgeons.
What happens when surgeons make mistakes?
Many mistakes involve near misses, like the recent case in Rhode Island, where the surgeon starts to cut but realizes the mistake before real damage is done. Sometimes the mistake has dire consequences. In one widely publicized Florida case a few years ago, a series of mistakes by medical staff resulted in a doctor amputating the wrong leg.
What are some examples of wrong-patient surgery?
One example of surgery on the incorrect site is operating on the wrong level of the spine, a surprisingly common issue for neurosurgeons. A classic case of wrong-patient surgery involved a patient who underwent a cardiac procedure intended for another patient with a similar last name.