Medical Negligence and Heart Surgery

Due to the delicate nature of heart surgery, a patient may be harmed from any digression from the accepted medical standard of care. 

In this article, St. Louis medical malpractice attorneys deal with medical negligence associated with heart surgery and some critical concerns that have emerged from medical malpractice lawsuits.

A Poor Outcome Is Not Automatically Medical Negligence

Heart surgery is a complicated and complex procedure that calls for extreme skill and care. The best surgeons may have to deal with complications even under optimum conditions. The complications often lead to problems such as injuries, infections, and in extreme cases, even death. However, a negative outcome does not always indicate negligence or malpractice by the doctor. There are instances when the procedure is simply not successful. Negative outcomes may be a result of numerous reasons not related to malpractice.

Family members should expect a credible reason for an unsuccessful heart surgery, and they should consult a knowledgeable St. Louis medical malpractice lawyer before they file a lawsuit. They should also consult a medical practitioner to determine whether medical negligence was committed by the surgeon. The family can save both time and money if they consult a St. Louis medical malpractice lawyer and medical practitioner before filing a medical malpractice lawsuit.

What Determines Medical Negligence 

Some medical negligence situations are exclusive to heart surgery. Mistakes in angioplasty, like plaque entering the arteries or an overinflated surgical balloon, may permanently incapacitate or kill the patient. Inappropriate ablation can also have adverse outcomes. Ablation is a method where radio waves are used to treat arrhythmia. When performed inappropriately, the procedure can cause damage to internal organs, such as the heart and can burn tissues.

Medical negligence can also be committed during a moderately simple procedure, like the insertion of a pacemaker or stent. Some of the injuries can also be attributed to defective leads. However, it is extremely important that the doctor follows the appropriate medical standard of care while inserting or removing devices such as lead.

Medical Negligence During Heart Surgery

Heart surgeons can also commit surgical mistakes such as making the wrong incision, leaving foreign objects inside the body, or operating the wrong area of the heart. These situations amount to medical malpractice, and victims can file a lawsuit to claim compensation.

Another type of medical malpractice that can occur during a heart surgery is the inaccurate administration of anaesthesia. Failure to perform appropriate post-operative procedures also amounts to medical malpractice and can invite a lawsuit.

Medical malpractice cases are quite complicated by nature, and it can be very hard to prove negligence without help from medical experts and an experienced St. Louis medical malpractice lawyer. If you suspect that your surgeon was negligent in performing heart surgery, consult with Zevan and Davidson Law Firm at (314) 588-7200.

Photo credit: Eric Schuttenmaer via Flickr