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Foot surgery can address chronic pain, improve your mobility, and give you a new lease on life. Unfortunately, not all procedures go as planned, and negligent healthcare providers can create new problems rather than address the original ones. Surgical mistakes remain one of the leading causes of medical malpractice claims, and they happen more frequently than you may think.
Lawrence M. Karam sees errors like these almost every day, and he prides himself on holding negligent healthcare professionals responsible for them. If you want to recover your rightful compensation after a foot surgery error, you must first understand what those errors look like and how they might constitute a valid malpractice claim.
What Is Considered a Surgical Error?
Every surgery carries some risk, and not every poor outcome results from healthcare provider negligence. However, when a preventable mistake occurs because a medical provider failed to meet the accepted standard of care, that mistake may qualify as surgical malpractice.
Surgical errors can occur before, during, or after a procedure and may involve doctors, nurses, anesthesiologists, or hospital staff. Sometimes, it involves more than one negligent party at once.
The Six Most Common Foot Surgery Errors
Foot surgery errors come in many forms, all of them potentially devastating to the patient. Some of the most common types of errors include:
- Anesthesia Errors During Foot Surgery
Even though many foot surgeries are considered “routine,” anesthesia errors can still prove extremely dangerous. These mistakes may include:
- Administering the wrong type or dosage of anesthesia
- Hitting a nerve leaving it permanently damaged
- Failing to properly maintain the patient during the procedure
- Ignoring known allergies or medical conditions
Anesthesia errors can turn a routine foot surgery into a life-threatening situation. Potential consequences include brain injury, respiratory distress, cardiac complications, or death.
- Wrong Foot or Wrong Toe Surgery
Wrong-site surgery is a well-documented medical error and although rare it does happen. Examples include:
- Operating on the wrong foot
- Performing surgery on the wrong toe
- Correcting the wrong condition entirely
These mistakes often result from poor communication or inadequate patient verification.
Related to this is operating on the correct toe but also operating on another toe, or other conditions, without your informed consent.
- Improper Bunion or Hammertoe Correction
Bunion and hammertoe surgeries stand among the most common podiatric procedures, and also among the most frequent sources of foot surgery error. Mistakes during these procedures can involve:
- Incorrect bone alignment
- Improper fixation with screws or pins
- Over-correction or under-correction of deformities
These mistakes can cause several significant, costly issues, including chronic pain, altered gait, nerve damage, or the need for additional corrective surgery.
- Post-Surgical Infections in Foot Procedures
Foot surgeries carry an increased risk of infection due to limited circulation and pressure from walking. Infections may occur because of:
- Poor sterilization of surgical instruments
- Improper wound closure or dressing
- Failure to diagnose or treat an infection promptly
Untreated infections can lead to tissue death, permanent nerve damage, and, in severe cases, the need for amputation.
- Nerve Damage During Foot or Ankle Surgery
The foot contains numerous small nerves that can easily suffer damage during surgery. Negligent surgical technique can result in:
- Severed or compressed nerves
- Loss of sensation or chronic numbness
- Burning or shooting pain
Nerve damage can heal in time, but in some cases it can be permanent. Victims of these surgical errors frequently face issues with earning a living and daily life activities like walking.
- Failure to Properly Treat Fractures or Tendon Injuries
Foot and ankle surgeries often involve fractures or tendon reconstruction. Errors during these procedures can include:
- Misdiagnosing the injury
- Using improper surgical hardware
- Failing to stabilize the foot correctly
These mistakes frequently delay healing or worsen the injury, and they can also lead to significant long-term mobility issues.
Contact Our New York Surgical Malpractice Attorney for a Free Consultation
When a surgeon causes you harm instead of helping you heal, you deserve justice. The Law Firm of Lawrence M. Karam, P.C. will fight to hold the negligent healthcare provider accountable and recover the compensation you deserve. Contact us today for your free consultation.