Tools Retained in the Body after Surgery

When you are preparing to undergo surgery, you have enough to worry about regarding the operation itself as well as your plans for recovery without having to imagine a surgeon careless enough to leave a tool in your body after the surgery. Sadly, though, this negligence will affect an estimated 1,500 Americans this year.

Should a surgeon’s instruments remain in your body after a surgery, you are at risk for infections and damage that often require another operation. If you or someone you know has experienced this extremely reckless mistake, you should consult a Wausau medical malpractice attorney from Habush Habush & Rottier, S.C. today at 800-242-2874.

Risk Factors for Retained Instruments

A wide variety of doctor’s tools can be left in the body after a surgery, including sponges, cloths, knives, scalpels, needles, and clamps. While there is no excuse for this kind of negligence, there are certain risk factors that can increase your chances of having this happen to you, such as:

• Being overweight or obese
• Having a change in your surgery during the operation
• Undergoing an emergency procedure

Sponges are especially dangerous because they can house bacteria that can cause you to contract serious infections. Additionally, unless they are made out of a special x-ray detectable material, they are very difficult to pinpoint if left in the body.

Contact Us

Recovering from surgery is difficult enough without having a retained instrument in the body, silently wreaking more havoc. For more information regarding this form of medical malpractice, contact the Wausau personal injury lawyers of Habush Habush & Rottier, S.C. at 800-242-2874 today.