Most medical procedures have risks. Some of them are significantly more dangerous than others, though. There’s a fine line between a medical procedure having certain inherent risks associated with it and a doctor engaging in negligence. Both instances can result in a patient’s condition deteriorating or death.
When a medical provider makes a negligent mistake, you may be able to hold them accountable.
What are some of the more risky medical procedures?
There are always risks associated with neurosurgery, but a craniectomy is particularly dangerous. It’s a surgery that involves the removal of a portion of a patient’s skull. One of the dangers associated with this procedure is that spinal fluid may build up causing brain swelling. A patient may also suffer a seizure or stroke during this procedure. These may result in lingering speech impairments, vision loss, balance issues and memory problems.
Another dangerous medical procedure is a septal myotomy, one that doctors rely on to reduce the thickening of a patient’s heart muscles. Those who undergo this procedure must generally remain on a cardiopulmonary bypass machine for as long as six hours following it. Some patients suffer unrecoverable complications or die during this time.
Obese patients often undergo gastric bypass surgery in hopes that it will help them lose weight. This operation doesn’t come without a host of risks, though. Gastric bypass surgery patients often report having adverse reactions to anesthesia or developing pneumonia, conditions that can have lasting health implications and even kill them.
Assessing the cause of adverse surgical outcomes
It’s a doctor’s responsibility to diagnose patients and educate them about the benefits and risks of pursuing different treatment options. It’s also their job to take any appropriate measures to minimize any foreseeable risks when performing a medical procedure.
Ohio law affords individuals who suffer adverse outcomes due to health care provider negligence to sue for damages in their case. A medical malpractice attorney will likely want to review your records and know more about your lingering complications before advising you of your right to file a lawsuit here in Mansfield and Sandusky, OH.