We're all familiar with the things that can go wrong in the emergency room. Some surgeries have gone so awry that they're practically in the realm of urban legend. While most of us never even lie on an operating table for anything more serious than gallstones, those who do have plenty to worry about. Of course if you take a look at what has happened to these people during surgery you may never want to go under the knife! Here are some of the top cases of scary mistakes made during surgeries, as well as what you might be able to do to avoid them altogether!
Here are some of the scariest things that have happened during surgeries:
Couples who are unable to have children often use technology to their advantage. Of course, this also means plenty of chances to mix-ups. Take, for instance, the case of the Japanese woman in Kanagawa, who was impregnated with the wrong fertilized egg! This also happened in Toledo, where a woman carried another couple's baby to term after being impregnated with the wrong embryo.
Doctors commonly misdiagnose patients and some of them can pay a hefty price for it. A man in the UK reported having chest pains and then went to see his doctor. He was then told he had lung cancer and was referred to a specialist who removed the offending lung. The only issue here was the man never actually had lung cancer in the first place. Now, without a lung, he's leading quite a difficult life. This is quite common, and if you think that you might need a second opinion do not hesitate to ask for one immediately!
Some of the equipment that is used during surgery can also cause serious damage to the body. For example, a man living in Vancouver underwent liver surgery and was surprised to wake up with a huge burn on his chest. When he began to ask questions, he later learned that his heart had stopped, and during the defibrillator charge, the paddles caught fire due to alcohol residue left on him by doctors. Believe it or not, this can happen when the proper precautions are not taken during an emergency.
These are very serious stories that have happened to real people all over the world. While we have a great health care system, there is no way to entirely prevent accidents from happening. If you are conscious and awake, make sure that you are paying attention to everything that is going on. Some patients may be nervous about asking questions, or calling attention to things that look out of place, but making sure you're paying attention could save your life. If negligence or gross error does cause harm to you or your family, make sure you find a good lawyer to represent your case. The last thing that you want to do is end up like one of these patients, without a lung, or the child you've been desperately trying to have.
For more interesting articles on surgeries and much more please visit the Surgery section on GKHealth.
