Retained Surgical Devices

Retained Surgical Devices

Charlotte Surgical Error Attorneys

Retained surgical items (RSIs) are any inadvertently left-behind items in a patient’s body following surgery; these are the most preventable of all medical errors.

A study in the Annals of Surgery reports that mistakes in tool and sponge counts occurs in 12.5% of surgeries. The Patient Safety Monitor Alert noted in 2003 that over 1,500 tools were left in patients each year. The Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the Eastern Virginia Medical School reported that medical tools left behind during certain types of surgery may occur as often as once per 1,000 surgeries. Because RSI outcomes without “major permanent loss of function” are not required to be reported, an exact accounting of the problem is not possible. Accordingly, RSI estimates are undoubtedly low.

If you or someone you love suffered medical complications, injuries, or even death as a result of a retained surgical device, contact Charles G. Monnett III & Associates. Our Charlotte surgical error attorneys can help you seek fair compensation for your additional required medical treatment, lost income/wages, pain and suffering, disability, and more.

Your initial consultation is free! Call (704) 859-2003 or contact us online now to get started.

What Are Retained Surgical Items?

In a typical surgery, there may be dozens of surgical tools, instruments, and other items being used—the more tools/instruments used, the higher the risk that the surgery team will lose track of an item.

There are many different types of items that have been left behind during a surgery, including:

Clamps
Cryotomes and cutting laser guides
Electrosurgical adapters
Forceps
Scalpels
Scissors
Sponges or laparotomy pads
Suction tips and tubes

The single most common object left behind is a sponge.

Patients with RSIs often leave the hospital after surgery believing themselves to be on the road to recovery only to suffer debilitating pain, life-threatening infections, and other serious complications. The consequences of an RSI include injury, disability or death, additional surgeries, increased medical costs, and lost time from work.

How Our Firm Can Help

If you or a family member has sustained injuries due to an RSI, you may be entitled to financial compensation. You should not have to simply face the consequences of a surgeon’s negligent or wrongful actions on your own. Contact the experienced Charlotte surgical error lawyers at Charles G. Monnett III & Associates today for a free, no-obligation consultation to discuss your legal options and start building a case aimed at recovering the compensation you deserve.

Contact us today at (704) 859-2003 or by submitting an online contact form.

3 Ways We Can Help You Today

Protect Your Rights
We'll help you understand your rights as they apply to your unique case.
Your Recovery
We'll help you to know which medical treatments may be needed.
Focus on What Matters
We'll help take calls and handle the paper work from insurance companies.

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