Numerous studies have been done over the years regarding the lack of transparency on the part of medical professionals here in Delaware and elsewhere when a mistake is made. Their conclusions indicate that doctors and surgeons are hesitant to come forward regarding their mistakes. To make matters worse, a retired doctor says that their colleagues and other medical professionals are just as hesitant to admit that a doctor is capable of surgical errors.
Wrong patient, wrong treatment: How faulty patient identification can lead to malpractice.
It seems simple. Doctors, nurses and other hospital employees should know who they are treating before they provide treatment. Unfortunately, and with sometimes tragic results, this is not always the case. According to a study released by the ECRI Institute, hospitals make thousands of errors based on patient identification every year.
Surgical errors: Operating on the wrong body part
Most hospitals here in Delaware and across the country have procedures in place to protect patients. However, when those policies and procedures are not followed, surgical errors can cause serious or permanent injuries. One surgical mistake that occurs more often than anyone would like to admit is operating on the wrong body part.
Brachial plexus birth injuries could create lasting issues
When damage occurs to the nerves that run from the spine through the shoulder, down the arm and into the hand, the signals can be disrupted, causing permanent injury. This network of nerves is called the brachial plexus. Newborns here in Delaware and elsewhere who suffer birth injuries to this nerve bundle could have permanent issues that limit what they can do as they grow.
Surgical errors might not be discovered for years
Every day, numerous people around the country and here in Delaware undergo operations. When surgical errors occur, they are often discovered in the days and weeks following the procedure. However, in some cases, it could be years before a mistake is discovered.
brain injuries caused by hypoxia
Medical researchers learn more about the human body all of the time and pass on their discoveries to medical professionals everywhere, including those here in Delaware. For instance, it was discovered that the human brain begins to die after it has been without oxygen for approximately six minutes. However, irreversible brain injuries can occur when it is deprived of oxygen for at least three minutes.
Surgical errors and medical malpractice claims
Most people here in Delaware and around the country expect there to be some risks involved with a surgical procedure. Even so, they do not expect the surgeon or a member of the surgical team to make a mistake that causes them serious injury or death. When it is believed that surgical errors occurred, the victim and/or their families retain the right to file medical malpractice claims.
Are hospitals doing everything possible to treat sepsis?
The recent deaths of Muhammad Ali and Patty Duke have pushed sepsis further into the public conscious. In fact, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have declared sepsis a national emergency, stating that more than a quarter-million people die from sepsis every year.
Mother claimed she suffered birth injuries in nightmare delivery
The nerve that runs through a person's pelvic region is called the pudendal nerve. Pudendal neuralgia is an uncommon condition in which that nerve is damaged, which can cause permanent and significant pain that area of the body, including the genitals. A mother claimed that she suffered damage to this nerve due to birth injuries during the nightmare delivery of her fourth child. It might not surprise Delaware readers that she filed a medical malpractice suit against the birthing center.
