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With obesity on the rise in the United States, so is gastric bypass surgery. Gastric bypass surgery is technically challenging and, according to a Stanford University study, only about 200 qualified surgeons perform 80% of all gastric bypass procedures. Although less invasive procedures have become more common recently, most gastric bypass surgeries are still performed as open procedures, since that is easier for the less experienced surgeon. Mistakes during and after these procedures can result in serious injury or death, and possible medical malpractice suits. Common medical errors fall into two categories:
- Errors that occur during the surgery itself, such as anesthesia errors or surgeon’s mistakes.
- Errors that occur after surgery. For example, gastric bypass involves cutting and stitching the digestive tract. Sometimes surgeons do not adequately ensure that the stomach and/or intestines are closed and reattached properly and the operation “leaks” into the patient’s abdomen. This situation can lead to serious and life-threatening infections.
Another post-surgery negligence issue is development of an intestinal blockage following surgery. This can lead to serious gastric complications or a condition known as “aspiration” (when stomach contents end up in the lungs), both of which can kill a patient if not prevented or treated immediately.
ATV Injuries -
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
The recent number and severity of ATV injuries makes us wonder when the government is going to take notice and place some regulations on the operation of these vehicles. ATVs are used for a variety of recreational and work-related outdoor activities. Although they may seem relatively harmless, ATVs weigh more than half a ton and can travel at speeds in excess of 55 mph, making them a potentially dangerous piece of machinery.
It is estimated that 200 to 300 people are killed each year as a result of ATV accidents, approximately 40% of which are under the age of 16. Most states do not enforce age restrictions on ATVs, creating a situation in which young people with no previous driving experience are playing with a dangerous vehicle that could cost them their lives.
ATV accidents can result in serious personal injuries that include: brain injury, burn injury, spinal cord injury and paralysis. Of the serious personal injuries caused as a result of ATV accidents, statistics have shown that approximately 75% cause severe damage to the head, neck and spine, often resulting in long term disability and/or paralysis.
A botched cardiac catheterization which led to a major malpractice lawsuit is another wake-up call for unsuspecting health care consumers. A Madison County, Illinois hospital, Saint Anthony's Health Center, and several of its doctors, are facing a ten-count medical malpractice suit after a woman claimed she suffered a stroke as a result of their negligence. The complaint states that the woman's family physician sent her to St. Anthony's emergency room where a cardiac catheterization was performed. The patient claims that during the catheterization, doctors could not engage the left coronary artery despite several attempts. After the patient woke up from the procedure, she began having vision problems and was ultimately diagnosed with a stroke.
The patient's complaint alleges the defendants negligently performed the catheterization, failed to properly utilize the left coronary artery, failed to prevent a brain infarction, and performed the test when it was not necessary for her treatment. She is seeking damages in excess of $500,000 plus costs and attorneys fees.
Boxing injuries are different from other sports injuries because most of them result from blows to the head, which are generally considered illegal in other sports. Boxing injuries are especially common among professional boxers. Amateur boxers don't suffer the amount or severity of head injuries that professional boxers do. Professional boxers accept blows to the head and accompanying injuries as just "part of the game." Cuts, bruises, repeated blows, and falls are all injuries that one may anticipate when entering the ring.
As a result, boxers often suffer brain damage. When a boxer is knocked out, he has generally suffered a concussion. Over time, multiple punches to the head can cause a case of "punch drunkenness" in a fighter who exhibits signs of inhibited thinking ability, headaches, blurred vision, or memory loss. In more serious cases, a boxer can be killed by a blow to the head, or suffer a lifetime of disability and diminished capacity due to brain damage.
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