Study Finds More Than 800 Patients Harmed By Surgical Tools Left In Their Bodies

November 5, 2013
Estimates from the Institute of Medicine show that each year, approximately 98,000 patients lose their lives as the result of a preventable medical error made by staff members. The St. Louis Medical Malpractice Lawyers with Cofman Townsley Injury Lawyers explain these mistakes can take many different forms, but one of the most commonly seen errors is surgical tools being left in a patient’s body after a procedure has been performed.
According to an article from CBS News, a new study is showing as many as 800 people have had surgical tools left inside their bodies since 2005. A total of 16 of those patients died as a direct result of complications associated with the error. Some of these complications can include infection or internal injuries that have been known to cause extended hospitalizations.
The team also discovered that the chances of this particular type of mistake occurring skyrocketed when the procedure was an emergency or if changes had to be made to the plan of action mid-procedure. This is attributed to a lack of policies and procedures mandating medical staff actions and a lack of good communication between doctors and their staff.
Cofman Townsley and their team of St. Louis Personal Injury Lawyers recognize how devastating an injury caused by a doctor’s negligence can be and encourage anyone who has been the victim of such a mistake to discuss their case with an attorney immediately.