Three Situations Involving Bowel Surgery And Resulting In Valid Medical Malpractice Lawsuits

Any surgery that includes repair to your intestines or bowel resection, as is common with a twisted bowel or gastric bypass surgery, involves a lot of risk. If the contents of the bowel enter the abdominal cavity, a rapid, extensive, and life-threatening infection can ensue. If you have recently gone through any sort of surgery that involved your bowels and you suffered additional pain, surgeries, and/or medical bills afterward, then you might have a medical malpractice lawsuit to pursue. The following three situations are grounds for a lawsuit of this type.

The Surgeon Missed a Hole in the Intestinal Wall

Before a surgeon sews you up again, he/she is supposed to check the full length of your intestine for any signs of a puncture or a hole. If he/she does not and there is a hole, the contents of your bowel can leak into your abdomen. It is then his/her fault for not completing the full visual and manual palpation of the intestines in question before sewing you up. Additionally, if he/she sewed up the incisions and holes in your intestines but used stitching that did not hold, you can sue.

The Surgeon Used a Recalled Surgical Supply Item

Surgical mesh has been getting a lot of heat in recent years. This stuff can be a real lifesaver when it works as intended. When used in conjunction with bowel surgery, it prevents doctors from having to stitch your bowels into place. Instead, the mesh acts as a sling or "wall" to keep your bowels where they should be until you are fully healed. However, if a doctor uses sub-par mesh or mesh that has been recalled, and you end up with hernias or a twisted bowel (or worse), you can sue. Likewise, other recalled surgical products should not have been used on you or in you.

The Necessary Blood Vessels Were Not Reconnected, Resulting in Dead Bowel Tissue

All organs in the body, especially your intestines, rely on blood vessels. If blood vessels are not present, connected, or reconnected during surgery, organ tissue dies. This is exceptionally dangerous where your intestines are concerned since they need the blood to bring oxygen to them and carry nutrients to the rest of your body.

As long as the intestines are supplied with oxygen, they are able to move and contract, pushing contents along. If sections die from lack of oxygen, those sections of your intestines die, and they cannot move the waste along, causing severe, painful, and even life-threatening blockages. If the surgeon failed to reconnect enough healthy blood vessels to your intestines during surgery, and you now have to have your bowels resected, you can sue.

For more information, contact an attorney that specializes in medical malpractice law.

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