Doctor accused of surgical error for surgery on the wrong patient

Doctor accused of surgical error for surgery on the wrong patient

On Behalf of | Mar 1, 2021 | Medical Malpractice |

The reasons for a person to have surgery in Texas are as vast as the procedures themselves, though they all have the intention of improving a patient’s life. If a medical professional commits some type of surgical error, the outcome may be just the opposite, even causing the death of the patient in the most extreme circumstances. Authorities in another state are still investigating what went wrong after receiving a report that a doctor conducted surgery, not on the wrong body part, as sometimes happens, but on the wrong patient altogether.  

An unnecessary procedure 

Though the complaint was only recently filed with the state Department of Health, the inciting incident allegedly occurred early in 2019. The report says that a patient came into intensive care and needed surgery for injuries suffered in a car accident. The trauma medical director allegedly sent a text message to the radiologist requesting surgery for that patient to have a filter put into one of the patient’s major veins.  

The radiologist requested and received the name of the patient, though a different patient was transmitted to the lab and given the surgical procedure. Though it is unclear what happened to either patient after this incorrect procedure, any surgery carries a risk of serious complications, and when that surgery is wholly unnecessary, the potential outcome may be particularly catastrophic.  

 

A patient’s legal rights 

 

Patients should be able to have complete faith in any medical professional providing them with treatment, but sadly, the matter is not that simple. A surgical error can have a devastating and long-lasting impact upon a patient’s life, costing a significant amount of money for treatment, whether or not a full recovery is possible. Texas families deserve to know that they may be able to hold a negligent medical provider accountable for mistreatment. An attorney who has extensive experience in handling medical malpractice cases may be a valuable resource for those with questions.