Humans today are enjoying some of the greatest medical advancements that have been made in the history of man. However, in this seemingly wonderful day and age, severe medical errors have also taken a huge number of human lives.
Independent studies have shown that in the US alone, between 150,000 and 350,000 people die annually from preventable medical errors. And that does not even account for the other millions who are injured.
The medical malpractice claim process and all that it entails can sometimes be incredibly mind-blowing. This article will highlight 6 terrifying medical malpractice cases that are certain to shock you. Many of these cases will cause you to wonder how such mistakes were made.
Wrong-Side Brain Surgery
A Rhode Island-based hospital received a $50,000 fine after its doctors performed a brain surgery on the wrong side. They had made this error for the 3rd time in 12 months. NBC News claimed that the procedures were done by different surgeons in 2007. The first surgery happened in February, when a patient received neurosurgery on the wrong part of their head. The second procedure happened in August, and in this case, the patient died. The third one happened in November, when a doctor drilled the wrong part of the patient’s head.
Wrong Testicle Removed
An Air Force veteran by the name of Benjamin Houghton went to the hospital to treat one of his testicles for possible cancer. When he went to West Los Angeles VA Medical Center to remove the diseased left testicle, the doctors mistakenly removed the healthy, right-side testicle instead.
The medical error’s genesis dates back to the initial medical records of the patient, where the doctor failed to note down the correct testicle before moving forward with the surgery. The victim and his wife brought a malpractice suit against the hospital for $200,000.
Wrong-Leg Amputation
In 1995, a Tampa-based University Community Hospital was placed under the spotlight when one of its doctors amputated the wrong leg. Willie King, who was 52 years old at the time, was going to the hospital to get his diseased leg removed, but he lost the good one instead.
The incorrect leg was recorded in many places in the hospital, including its operating room schedule, the institution’s computer system, as well as the operating room’s blackboard. The medical staff on duty both prepped and sterilized the wrong leg before Dr. Rolando Sanchez, the surgeon conducting the procedure, entered the operating room.
Wide-Awake Surgery
Sherman Sizemore, 73 years of age, committed suicide 14 days after hospital staff gave him insufficient anesthesia during his surgical procedure. The error in medication led to Sherman being wide-awake during the whole procedure, however, he wasn’t able to cry out or move, according to an article NBC News published in 2007.
A complaint filed by the family of Sherman indicates that the surgeons didn’t administer general anesthesia. To make things worse, Sherman wasn’t informed that he wasn’t properly sedated.
Deadly Transplant Mix-Up
In 2003, the Duke University Hospital had a devastating transplant procedure mix-up that left a teenage girl dead. According to the New York Times, the 17-year-old girl passed away right after she’d just undergone an organ transplant. This particular procedure was the second time doctors had tried to transplant live-saving organs to the girl since the first time they put the wrong heart and lungs.
Wrong Organ Removed
In 2006, an 84-year-old woman went to Milford Regional Medical Center to surgically remove her gallbladder. Dr. Patrick McEnaney instead decided to take her right kidney out. This mishap happened because Dr. McEnaney misread some lab tests. The doctor was reprimanded by being put on medical probation for 5 years by the state’s medical board.