Pre-surgery Protocols to Avoid Wrong-site Surgery

When you decide to do undergo a surgery for whatever reason, you place your life in the hands of surgeons, hoping they will do everything possible to ensure a safe procedure. However, some medical professionals don't always live up to the standards of their profession and a wrong-site surgery be the end result of such negligence.  

Wrong-site surgery, as the name suggests, is when an operation is done on an incorrect part of the body. This kind of surgical error can lead to devastating, life-long consequences.

Wrong-site surgical error can be avoided if medical professionals adhere to the standard pre-surgery protocols set by the medical facility. Liability in the form of a medical malpractice lawsuit may be determined based on whether or not these pre-surgery protocols were followed.

There are steps every medical professional is required to take before performing a surgical operation, including: 

• verification of the intended procedure;
• marking the intended surgical site; and
• time-out period. 

These pre-surgery protocols are established to ensure a safe operation. The most important step is the "time-out" period. This is where all the medical professionals meet as a group and re-verify the identity of the patient, the type of procedure and the specific site of the surgery.

Under Illinois medical malpractice laws, you may be eligible to recover both economic and non-economic damages for injuries sustained as a result of wrong-site surgery. If you have had a wrong-site surgery in Illinois, then a Chicago medical malpractice attorney from the Law Offices of Barry G. Doyle, P.C. may be able to help you file a claim. Contact us today for a no-cost case evaluation - 312-263-1080.