Portland Medical Malpractice Law Blog

Any Oregon woman who has ever given birth understands how simultaneously exciting, joyous and worrisome the process can be. After approximately nine months of pregnancy that are undoubtedly not without challenge, an expectant mother likely views labor and delivery as a welcomed final step in her journey. Sadly, however, not all journeys end happily, especially when a birth injury occurs.

The problem is that many birth injuries are easily preventable and are caused by medical negligence. A mother in labor has enough to worry about without having to police the medical staff; after all, it is not her responsibility. There are stringent medical protocols and safety standards that govern the behavior of doctors, nurses, scrub technicians and others who assist pregnant women during labor and delivery.

When preparing for surgery, it is typical to meet with an Oregon surgeon, private physician and other members of the medical team ahead of time. During such meetings, the procedure itself might be discussed, as well as other issues, including post-op recovery, medications that might be recommended and rate of success regarding a particular operation. Proactive patients may also want to talk about surgical errors -- in particular, how to avoid them.

Never events are medical incidents that cause patient injuries or death. They are so named because they are preventable and should never happen. Surgical errors top the list for most frequently reported never events.

When an Oregon medical patient is scheduled for surgery, he or she typically understands that all surgical procedures involve a certain amount of personal injury risk. However, every patient has the right to reasonably expect that surgeons, nurses, anesthesiologists, practitioners and other licensed care providers will act according to accepted safety standards and protocol during pre-surgery treatment, throughout an operation and during post-operative care. Sadly, surgical errors often occur, which can leave patients in worse condition after their operations than they were before.

If your surgeon leaves a foreign object inside your body, operates on the wrong body part or mistakes you for another patient and performs a procedure that is not meant for you, you might suffer serious infection or other injuries. Before or after surgery, you can be a proactive patient, asking questions and making sure you understand everything your doctors and nurses are doing. However, if you are unconscious on an operating table, you are helpless. You are trusting that those involved in your surgery will do what they are supposed to do in the manner in which they are supposed to do it.

Many women in Oregon and beyond have undergone episiotomy surgery during childbirth. However, as in many other health-related areas, such as those involving risks of asbestos exposure, years of experience and scientific studies have provided information and data to help improve patient safety. With regard to cutting a woman's vagina during childbirth, most experts agree that, not only is it unnecessary, it is a health risk to the mother and may lead to obstetrical malpractice in some cases.

The initial idea behind episiotomy surgery was that making a surgical cut to the vagina could provide more room for the baby's head and shoulders to pass through during the birthing process. However, it is now known that the procedure often places women at risk for complications that might not otherwise occur had the mother in question not had the surgery. Dating back to 2006, national guidelines for obstetrics have recommended greatly limiting episiotomy surgery; in fact, it is recommended only to assist a birth where a baby's head or shoulders are stuck.