Weight Loss Surgery And The Risk To Patients

If you’ve decided to have surgery to help with weight loss, you should already be aware that there are many potential complications. If you’ve gone through the surgery and suffered because a doctor used tools that weren’t sterile or allowed you to go without oxygen for too long, then you’re in a position to consider a medical malpractice lawsuit.

What is the real cost of a medical error? The American Medical Association has confirmed that medical negligence is one of the primary causes of death throughout the United States. It costs billions each year in medical expenses, lost wages and in the loss of productivity.

Shockingly, only around 14 percent of treatment mistakes are reported by hospitals, even though they’re hurting patients’ lives. Many of the errors take place during or following surgeries, when patients are most at risk.

Weight loss surgery is one surgery more and more individuals are opting to have. Around 150,000 to 160,000 of these surgeries take place every year, but medical negligence can take its toll. The surgery itself is complicated, and complications need to be addressed as soon as they occur. Internal bleeding, organ damage, pain and infection can all hinder a patient’s recovery.

It’s also not helpful that the patients often are obese or morbidly obese, so they may have comorbid conditions that threaten their health as well. However, these conditions should be spoken about before surgery, so surgeons can be aware of the extra safety steps they need to take. When these conditions aren’t considered or other complications aren’t treated, patients can be seriously injured, disabled or die from the negligence.

Source: EmaxHealth, “Weight loss and medical negligence: The cost of errors,” Lana Bandoim, Feb. 20, 2016