Millions of patients undergo surgery each day with the majority of surgical procedures going according to plan.

The term ‘general surgery’ is an umbrella term used to describe a wide range of surgical procedures which focus on the abdominal contents including the oesophagus, stomach, small bowel, colon, liver, gallbladder and appendix, and can be performed both as emergency or elective surgery.

All general surgeons are trained in emergency surgery but may have at least one special interest such as colorectal surgery or transplant surgery. The main post-operative problems general surgeons deal with are; bleeding, infections, bowel obstructions and organ perforations.

When a patient has suffered a poor outcome, it is only natural for them to think that something has gone wrong. However, the complications which can occur during surgery can sometimes be a recognised risk of the procedure in question and not necessarily an indication of negligence. However, mistakes and errors do and can happen. If a surgeon fails to provide the proper standard of care to a patient, the patient may suffer an injury which could have devastating life-changing consequences or even lead to their death.

This is part of the reason why, before embarking on any surgical procedure, except for emergency situations, it is important that the surgeon informs the patient about the risks involved in the surgery and obtains their consent to have the surgery.

Examples of negligence that occur in surgery include:

• The wrong surgical procedure being performed;
• Unnecessary surgery as a result of a misdiagnosis;
• Foreign objects being left inside the body such as surgical instruments;
• Avoidable damage to other organs;
• Surgery performed on the wrong part of the body, such as the wrong limb; and
• Failure to manage an emergency situation appropriately.

It is important to note that negligence in the post-operative care, such as a failure to carry out frequent monitoring, which is required by the patient’s condition, or a failure to respond appropriately to the evidence produced by the monitoring, can also amount to a medical negligence claim. 

If you feel that you or a loved one might have been harmed by an avoidable surgical error then Jackson Lees may be able to help you understand what happened and why; and go some way to help you move on from these mistakes and put your life back together, by bringing a claim for compensation. We fit around your life, visiting you at home and out of hours when required.

Our dedicated team of lawyers will be able to identify the issues affecting you and your loved ones and offer you the best practical advice on the options available to you. Please click here for a call back or message us your enquiry.

Lisa will be our adviser at the drop-in clinic on Thursday evening on 24th May.