Pennsylvania Laparoscopic Surgery Error Lawyers
Laparoscopic surgery is also known as "minimally invasive surgery" and is a surgical procedure performed with the assistance of a video camera and several thin instruments. During this procedure, small incisions of up to half an inch are made and plastic tubes called ports are placed through these incisions.
The camera and the instruments are then introduced through the ports, which allow access to the inside of the patient.
The camera that is used in laparoscopic surgery basically transmits an image of the organs inside the body on to a television monitor. That’s because the surgeon is unable to see into the patients without making a large incision. The video camera becomes the surgeon’s eyes in a laparoscopic surgery and the surgeon uses the image from the video camera positioned inside the patient’s body to perform the procedure.
These days, many people prefer laparoscopic surgery where possible for the obvious benefits including less discomfort after the surgery, quicker recovery time, shorter hospital stays and less scarring. However, there are also many risks associated with this type of surgery, especially in the hands of a negligent, inexperienced or inadequately trained surgeon. The most significant risks are from injuries to either blood vessels. The risk of such injuries is higher in patients who are obese. Vascular injuries from the initial insertion, that is made blindly, can result in hemorrhage that may be life-threatening. It is extremely important that these laparoscopic surgery injuries be recognized as early as possible. Some patients have sustained electrical burns not seen by surgeons who are working with electrodes that leak current into the surrounding tissue.
The resulting injuries can result in ruptured or perforated organs. Some patients who have existing pulmonary disorders may not be able to tolerate the build up of gas in the abdominal cavity during laparoscopic surgery. This may result in the need for conversion to open surgery after the initial attempt at laparoscopic surgery. Doctors, who are inexperienced or not properly trained in these modern surgical procedures, may be prone to making errors during surgery that may turn out to be fatal or cause serious injury to patients. As a result, these patients may have to undergo additional surgery or other expensive treatments to fix the problems and complications.
If you or a loved one has undergone a failed laparoscopic surgery or have suffered complications as a result of a poorly performed laparoscopic surgery, you are a victim of medical malpractice.