Surgical errors results in $2 million verdict

People living in Louisiana who have had to undergo surgery know that there is usually a certain amount of risk. Over the years, medical professionals have worked to make surgeries as safe as possible for patients. Laparoscopic procedures are intended to help minimize the risk to patients. Unfortunately, one such procedure went wrong, and the surgical errors that followed caused long-term damage to the patient.

The patient, a woman, underwent a laparoscopic abdominal surgery in 2015 to remove her ovaries. Unfortunately, the surgeon damaged the patient’s bladder during the surgery, and a urologist was brought in to help correct the problem. However, in order to repair the patient’s bladder, doctors were forced to upgrade this minimally invasive procedure to an open surgery. After the repair was completed, the first surgeon completed the surgery and closed the patient’s abdomen. The doctors performed an x-ray to ensure that no foreign bodies were left inside of the patient.

During her recovery, the patient began experiencing abdominal pain, fatigue and nausea. Her physicians ordered her to have a CT scan, and the patient’s primary care doctor found a celiac lymph node and referred her to a surgical oncologist. Another scan was done later that year, and a large mass was discovered.

The oncologist performed surgery to remove the mass. While the patient was in recovery, her doctor revealed that what he had removed from the patient was not a tumor, but a 24-x-16-inch surgical towel left behind during her previous surgery. The doctor also removed 2.5 liters of infectious fluid from the patient’s abdomen.

When items are left inside of patients after surgery, the results can be serious and long lasting. Patients in Louisiana who have suffered injuries due to surgical errors could benefit from speaking with an attorney. Victims may be entitled to compensation for medical costs, pain and suffering, or other damages.