|
(Ivanhoe Newswire) -- Even though programs have been put in place to reduce the risk of errors in the operating room, many mistakes still occur.
New analysis of events at Veterans Health Administration Medical Centers estimates ten surgeries a day in the United States are done incorrectly. According to the analysis an incorrect procedure consists of surgery being performed on the wrong site, the wrong side, on the wrong patient, or the wrong procedure.
Text Continues Below
Of the 342 procedures, researchers say 212 events occurred unnecessarily. Of the procedures done unnecessarily, 51 percent occurred in an operating room and 49 percent occurred outside of the operating room.
When examining adverse events only, ophthalmology and invasive radiology were the specialties associated with the most reports, whereas orthopedics was second to ophthalmology for the number of reported adverse events occurring in the operating room, authors of the study were quoted as saying.
The authors conclude the most common cause of incorrect, adverse events in and out of the operating room is communication problems between the patient and the surgeon.
SOURCE: Archives of Surgery, November 2009
If this story or any other Ivanhoe story has impacted your life or prompted you or someone you know to seek or change treatments, please let us know by contacting Melissa Medalie at mmedalie@ivanhoe.com
This article was reported by Ivanhoe.com, who offers Medical Alerts by e-mail every day of the week. To subscribe, go to: http://www.ivanhoe.com/newsalert/.
|
.gif)
