It’s a good thing the doctor caught this and was able to operate on the correct side of the mouth.
However, this kind of wrong site surgery is so easily prevented. A family member or good friend must accompany the patient to the OR (he/she cannot go in) and ask to see the surgeon. Go over the patient’s name, surgery to be performed, and which site on the patient’s body is to be operated on. Ask the surgeon to mark that site. If the surgeon is not available, ask to see the anesthesiologist or nursing staff involved and go over this same checklist with them.
For more information on how to prevent these kinds of preventable medical errors, my website is http://www.criticalconditions.com
We have updated our privacy policy to be more clear and meet the new requirements of the GDPR. By continuing to use our site, you accept our revised Privacy Policy.
It’s a good thing the doctor caught this and was able to operate on the correct side of the mouth.
However, this kind of wrong site surgery is so easily prevented. A family member or good friend must accompany the patient to the OR (he/she cannot go in) and ask to see the surgeon. Go over the patient’s name, surgery to be performed, and which site on the patient’s body is to be operated on. Ask the surgeon to mark that site. If the surgeon is not available, ask to see the anesthesiologist or nursing staff involved and go over this same checklist with them.
For more information on how to prevent these kinds of preventable medical errors, my website is http://www.criticalconditions.com