Wrong-site surgery is an example of a never event. In the medical profession, never events are things that simply should not ever occur, often because there are multiple protections in place to prevent them. However, despite their title, never events certainly do happen every year, and they are a common cause of medical malpractice claims.
One example of a never event is wrong-site surgery. But there are actually multiple ways that this can occur, three of which are discussed below.
1. Operating on the wrong patient
First of all, if a surgeon operates on the wrong patient, perhaps because the medical records were accidentally switched without their knowledge, it’s an example of wrong-site surgery. This is often a miscommunication error. The surgeon believes they have the correct patient, for example, but they may have been sent to the wrong operating room or given the wrong health records.
2. Operating in the wrong location
In other cases, the surgeon just carries out the procedure at the wrong location. An example of this is when a patient is having spinal cord surgery. The medical team may carry out the correct surgery – but at the wrong level on the spinal column.
3. Operating on the wrong side
Finally, wrong-site surgery happens when the surgeon carries the procedure out on the wrong side of the patient’s body. A patient may need a left knee replacement, for example, but the surgeon replaces the right knee instead. This mistake can substantially increase recovery times and costs.
If you or a loved one has suffered harm due to medical malpractice, it’s important to look into all of your legal options to seek appropriate financial compensation.