Surgical tools, sponges, and other objects left inside the body can cause painful injuries and serious medical complications. In addition, a patient with a foreign object left inside them will likely require additional surgery, prolonging their recovery and adding to the cost of treatment. Unfortunately, researchers have found that around one in 1,000 surgical patients has a foreign object left in their bodies. This shocking statistic shows how frequently these unthinkable mistakes occur.
Medical malpractice cases are a significant part of our Geiger Legal Group, LLC practice. We want to help if you have experienced the trauma of a retained foreign object after surgery. Our Georgia medical malpractice lawyers have more than 40 years of experience and have recovered millions on behalf of our clients.
Leaving an object inside you is a mistake a medical professional, such as a surgeon, should never make. Instead, you should seek justice and compensation if it has happened to you. Contact us today for a free case review with a skilled medical malpractice attorney.
What Is a Retained Foreign Object?
Many tools and instruments are used in surgical procedures, such as sponges, clamps, needles, and gauze. These devices are temporarily placed inside a patient’s body as the surgeon operates and should be removed after surgery. However, the surgery team may accidentally leave something inside the patient’s body cavity without being careful. As a result, the objects or tools left in the body after surgery are retained foreign objects.
While some medical devices are meant to be left inside a patient’s body, most are not. In many cases, a foreign object left in a patient after surgery can become infected. It can cause intense pain and other complications that interfere with a patient’s bodily functions. There are also cases where an object left inside a patient can pierce an organ or other tissues inside the body, causing bleeding and other serious health issues. Retained foreign objects nearly always require additional surgery to remove. The resulting injuries can prove fatal, especially if the object is not removed quickly.
Clamps — Clamps are one of the most commonly used tools in surgical procedures. They can block blood flow through an artery or vein to prevent internal bleeding. They also move tissue out of the way so the surgeon can more easily see what’s happening during a procedure.
Cotton swabs — Cotton swabs are often used to clean an incision site during or after surgery. If left inside a patient’s body, they also can become infected or interfere with normal bodily functions.
Gauze pads — Gauze pads are another tool to clean an incision site during or after surgery. Medical professionals also use them to soak up blood or fluids during the procedure. Gauze left after surgery can quickly become infected, leading to additional complications.
Sponges — Surgical sponges are another implement used to clean incision sites and soak bodily fluids. Like cotton swabs and gauze pads, sponges left inside a patient can become infected.
Needles — Needles used to place sutures inside a surgical patient are some of the most dangerous implements left inside the body. These needles can puncture organs and other tissues because they are sharp, causing severe internal bleeding and other complications.
Scissors — Surgical scissors are another of the most dangerous objects that might be left inside a surgical patient. Scissors are much bigger than needles and have multiple sharp edges, which can cause even more damage.
Catheters — Catheters are thin, flexible tubes used to either drain fluid from your body or add fluid to it. A catheter left inside a surgical patient can significantly interfere with the patient’s bodily functions or become infected.
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