All surgery must be done in sterile conditions. In normal life, there are bacteria everywhere, hundreds of types of bacteria, plus viruses and other micro-organisms. Our natural immunity usually protects us from the harmful ones. In a hospital there are even more bacteria than elsewhere and they say a hospital floor is the dirtiest place on the planet.
This means that when doing a surgical procedure, all personnel in the room must have thoroughly washed their hands, be wearing masks, gloves, and gowns, and use only sterilized instruments. The patient is highly vulnerable, being already sick or injured, and having their skin incised for the procedure. If harmful bacteria are allowed to enter the patient’s body, for instance from an unsterile instrument or a doctor’s exposed breath, infection can quickly set in. Violation of sterile conditions is a form of medical malpractice.
Some other instances of medical malpractice during a surgery are:
- Operating on the wrong side of the body (e.g. left foot instead of right foot)
- Leaving something in the patient’s body, such as a sponge
- Inadequately monitoring the patient’s vital signs
- Administering the wrong dose of anesthesia
There are too many other examples to list. If you think you or a loved one may have suffered from such medical negligence, give us a call or send an email right away.
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