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New study on alarming number of dangerous surgical mistakes

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    Dr. Marc Siegel weighs in

  • Duration 5:31
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Serious concerns for any American going under the knife.

Despite major efforts to improve surgical safety in this country mistakes.

That should never happen.

Keep happening and at an alarming rates.

These so called never events include things -- -- meaning a pair of scissors inside the patient's body after they've been stitched up our operating on the wrong leg.

-- doctor Mark Siegel is an associate professor at NYU's lingo and medical center at a Fox News contributor and if you've ever had surgery.

They go -- -- -- -- will write you know like this leg you know not that let the right like on the right like this lag.

And there's a reason they do that but despite those protocols.

These mistakes are happening at an alarming rate according to the jobs -- -- researchers.

Who published in the journal called -- it's a major journal and actually the study author doctor Carey who we know from here -- Fox News.

Has said that it's probably four times wouldn't just said it's not for thousands -- time now.

This 53 million surgeries -- -- so the chances are if you go for surgery out there you're not gonna encounter this problem.

But that doesn't wave it away it should be happening at all these are entirely preventable errors.

It's like when a pilot -- is landing the plane his entire staff checking hopefully -- the flaps down you know it.

I don't like Exxon checklist we need that here until we have.

What we have that in studies have shown that the more we do that before surgery the -- this happens.

But I'm concerned that with a health reform law with thirty million more patients coming in doctors more and more on salary not getting fee for service.

More rushed more paperwork I think this is gonna happen more and and by the way.

You're you're in your line -- work.

One point three billion dollars payouts in malpractice claims over twenty years because of these kind of mistake.

On -- This is the kind of lawsuit a malpractice -- plaintiffs' lawyer dreams about.

I mean you can get any way you want if they leave the -- citizens I think what they're gonna how to check is just a question from much even worse than that the 25% was the wrong procedure is done.

45%.

Play well let me take -- your your your kidney in you.

It should have been whoever she happened in the twenty bottles and if you title a 25% where it's the wrong body part and you know.

I have actually had an experience with that in my own practice -- patient.

In this is a terrible story but literally had the wrong side of his colon taken out and -- had to have the right side -- all night with a short call.

And that patient didn't show by the way or another thing this study showed.

Is that lawsuits don't -- in the majority of the time twelve.

80% of the time is all that we actually see him umpire is and that.

Well you know why because they're not always reported in because if -- sponges left inside nobody's gonna announce that to the patient.

So you're telling me that people out there right -- -- walking around with sponges inside of them and they don't even know what.

Well I think that's possibility that -- -- cause concern infection and will inevitably if it does if it's perceived as a foreign body by the body.

Then you have to go -- and it doesn't know it happened like and it doesn't always happen like that passion makes you wonder right now what's the big lake.

Let's be clear though it if you had -- I knew I knew -- didn't gain extra pound.

And miss.

Some -- respondents the public figures -- gobbled up up up with.

If you have a problem with the wrong body part being -- and I think you would figure it out.

Well that's the thing I mean how does it happened literally you go when you say OK Ivan I needed -- let -- have an analog -- and you wake up -- -- -- The -- the real story here though is -- yeah.

That's what happened.

And not -- visit the wrong or is it the wrong with them.

-- going -- with the supposed to do they go to mark the patient you Wear an arm band they've got to check the procedure they're gonna check the notes.

All the notes have to be right there in the operation the MRI scans should be right available when you operate you should make sure that everything is in order.

And not only the surgeon should be checking this -- You know take out the right -- into the left leg doesn't look at the right leg and say.

Hate that Redman looked pretty good -- ticked off could somebody double checked the chart.

While the vast majority of the surgeons never have this problem and every surgeon out there watching this is saying I've never had the saudis are sketchy doctors -- -- sketching doctor sketchy hospitals but also people that are way way too overworked.

You know it's it's human error and it might happen one time in your career but does it ruin your entire career somebody hears about it they're not going -- use you again and.

You know what they do say though they say that that doctors like you for example who are friendly likable and warm.

Will be forgiven a mistake even a big one by their patients whereas doctors have no bedside manner are the most likely to get sued.

But that's not why I'm friendly -- often -- and we know it -- really think I.

Treated me like this even when you're not as patient.

-- if you want you want to be -- you -- -- have compassion you wanna have a good bedside manner but my personal opinion on this is if you make an error like this you should be liable for half but I don't necessarily think the hospital should be punished automatically you know one of the things that Medicare Medicaid Services might do.

Is penalize the hospital each time this happens and I want to point out.

Hospitals are in trouble already.

Who's this library into that you can be your own best advocate by you know before they put you out you know 109 minutes -- right -- the right leg the left leg is fine.

-- -- But they say it's the belts and suspenders.

Yeah you're you're not not really talking down to a doctors -- say -- duck.

You do remember that's might council's right.

Right what do you do up there could lead to lower look -- Opera I knew what we have that and you have the best doctor by the way you're never gonna have this -- you very much I got I've got that you and I got -- -- I love so.

Think -- after the suit.

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