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Did surgical errors cause the need for second procedure?

On Behalf of | Feb 18, 2016 | Surgical Errors |

Each year, numerous people here in Oregon and across the country undergo a knee arthroplasty, which is a surgical procedure in which the bones in the knee are resurfaced or totally replaced. When done properly, the procedure is designed to relieve pain and give a patient back his or her range of motion from the joint. Surgical errors can prevent the patient from obtaining relief, and in some cases, make matters worse.

For example, an out-of-state woman underwent a total right knee arthroplasty on June 4, 2013. By Feb. 2014, the woman was experiencing some sort of issue with her right knee because she sought a second opinion from a different orthopedic surgeon. That surgeon determined that the first procedure had not been done correctly, and the procedure would have to be redone.

On June 14, 2014, just over a year after the first surgery, she underwent the second procedure. As a result, she incurred a significant amount of medical expenses and other damages. On Feb. 8, the Illinois woman filed a lawsuit against the surgeon and hospital where the first operation was performed.

The lawsuit alleges that the surgical errors made in June 2013 required the woman to undergo the second procedure. It will be up to the court where the suit was filed to determine whether the care the defendants provided was below accepted medical standards. As would be the case here in Oregon, if the evidence establishes that mistakes occurred that necessitated the second procedure, the court might consider awarding her damages. Any restitution received could provide relief from the financial burdens the situation has caused her.

Source: cookcountyrecord.com, “Suit against hospital, surgeon alleges negligence“, Robbie Hargett, Feb. 12, 2016

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