I’m often asked what surgical cases we see repeatedly. I reviewed our case files and created this list:
- Cardiac Surgery – Includes bypass surgery and valve replacements. These involve delicate heart work. Errors like improper monitoring or instrument misplacement can cause severe complications. These include heart failure or stroke.
- Neurosurgery – Brain or spinal cord surgeries require extreme precision. Mistakes can cause permanent neurological damage, paralysis, or cognitive loss. Common malpractice includes wrong-site surgery and improper tool use.
- Kidney Surgery – Kidney transplants or nephrectomies involve careful handling of vessels and ureters. Errors can cause organ failure, infections, or donor-recipient mismatch issues.
- Gastroenterological Surgery – Procedures like colon resections or gallbladder removal risk accidental perforation. This can cause subsequent infections. These lead to life-threatening complications.
- Gynecological Surgery – Includes hysterectomies and ovarian cyst removal. Malpractice can cause long-term reproductive issues. It can also damage adjacent organs.
Other high-risk surgeries include orthopedic surgeries (joint replacements and spinal surgery) and plastic surgeries. However, the above five typically carry the greatest risk. This is due to the complexity and critical nature of the organs involved.