People in Illinois are increasingly scheduled for surgery at outpatient surgery centers in lieu of having the procedure take place in a hospital. These centers have surged in popularity, touting sleek facilities and the ability for patients to go home the same day.
Laparoscopic cholecystectomy in Illinois
Gallstones can cause excruciating pain, and the surgical removal of the gallbladder, also known as cholecystectomy, is the most common means of addressing serious gallbladder issues. The laparoscopic approach to this surgery has become the primary way of performing the procedure, allowing for small incisions and quicker recovery times. The process involves creating very small incisions in the abdominal area so that video equipment and surgical instruments can be used to effectively perform the procedure.
Wrong-site surgery causes, methods of prevention
Hospitals and staff take precautions to avoid errors, but there are instances when medical mistakes harm patients. Common causes of wrong-site surgery have been identified, and measures are now in place to stop surgeries from happening on the incorrect side or place on the body. While WWS is very serious, Illinois residents have little to fear because these incidents are rare. Additionally, doctors will make efforts to verify information with their patients before surgery is performed.
Hip replacement patients endure uneven legs
Illinois readers may be interested in issues that can be caused by hip replacement surgeries. One of the more common problems following a full hip replacement is one leg being longer than the other. This can make walking difficult and uncomfortable.
Robotic surgery injuries under-reported
Patients in Chicago, Illinois, and elsewhere may be interested in a developing investigation into multiple cases of serious injury after the use of robotic devices in surgery. One woman who underwent a hysterectomy with a robotic surgical device suffered a punctured intestine, which led to septic shock and other issues. A man who went through prostate removal surgery with a robotic device suffered nerve damage to multiple limbs.
Technology not to blame in robotic surgery injuries
When a mistake is made during a robotic surgical procedure in an Illinois hospital, it is more than likely not due to a problem with the technology being used. According to findings presented at the AAGL Global Congress on Minimally Invasive Gynecology, over 30 percent of the time, a surgical error during a robotic procedure is due to operator error or robot failure.
800 surgical tools left in patients since 2005
Illinois residents who seek medical care may be concerned to hear that there have been nearly 800 instances of surgical implements being left in patients since 2005. This information comes from the The Joint Commission, a nonprofit organization that seeks to ensure that hospitals employ and enforce practices that prevent these surgical errors from occurring. According to a spokesperson for the group, this issue is well-known and easily avoidable.
Surgical errors not avoided by use of robot assistants
In U.S. hospitals, including facilities in Chicago, robot-assisted surgery is often advertised as safer and less trouble for patients than normal minimally invasive surgery. However, reports showed that the use of robots in operating rooms could lead to surgical error and cost thousands of dollars more per operation. Despite the claims of the company that manufactured the devices and hospitals and doctors who made more money from their use, in randomized trials robot operations had not been proven to offer significantly improved health benefits compared to traditional surgery.
Towards fair reporting of hospital errors
Illinois residents may be interested to hear that a nonprofit advocate of healthcare buyers has recently completed a survey that details the frequency of what it calls "never events;" events involving surgical or nonsurgical errors in hospitals that should never happen. The survey found that these errors are surprisingly common. They happen up to 200 times per day to Medicare patients alone.
Unnecessary Surgery
It is shocking to continually read articles about doctors performing unnecessary surgeries. The most recent story involves Sacred Heart Hospital and some of its doctors. According to The Bloomberg News, a pulmonologist at the hospital kept patients too sedated to breathe on their own, and then ordered unnecessary tracheostomies so that the hospital could reap huge profits.
