Surgeons are a very skilled group of professionals. People trust them to literally have their well-being, and even their lives, in their hands in Oregon. Some surgical procedures are more delicate than others. Surgery involving the eyes can be particularly delicate, and the success of the surgery is frequently somewhat dependent on post-op nursing care. Failure to adequately administer post-op care can result in nursing errors.
A woman underwent a delicate eye surgery on her right eye in another state. The surgery, a vitrectomy, involves removing tissue behind the eye lens. After the surgery was complete, a gauze bandage is placed to cover the eye and held in place with tape. Instead of having a pre-cut piece of tape, the nurse stretched the tape over the gauze and pressed her thumb into the patient’s eye to exert pressure to cut the tape. The surgeon stopped her, but the pressure caused hemorrhaging and a retinal detachment that left the patient mostly blind in that eye; she lost partial vision in her left eye.
The woman is suing the nurse and the hospital for medical malpractice. The suit is asking for $2.25 million. A jury trial has been scheduled.
No surgery is completely free from risk. Unforeseen complications can occur during a surgery that may be out of the surgical staff’s control but preventable errors, such as nursing errors, do not need to happen. If a person in Oregon feels they may have suffered a preventable complication related to a surgery one may wish to consult with an experienced personal injury attorney. If grounds exist for a civil suit, a lawyer can offer advice on the best path to pursue. A successfully litigated claim can assist with current medical expenses and possibly for expenses that may be incurred by continuing care requirements.