Most patients who undergo surgery assume that they are out of the woods once they come out of anesthesia. They believe that any major errors that might occur take place during the procedure.
While many of the worst surgical errors do occur in the operating room, patients who have undergone surgical procedures also require intensive medical monitoring afterward to avoid common postoperative complications and ensure their optimal recovery.
Post-surgical negligence is a serious issue that can cause life-altering consequences for patients and may constitute actionable medical malpractice.
Why is post-surgical monitoring so important?
Until a surgical patient fully recovers, they are at risk of complications. Post-surgical infections caused by exposure in a medical facility are relatively common. There are treatment-resistant bacteria present in many modern hospitals that can cause devastating, difficult-to-treat infections. Health care workers need to monitor incision sites to ensure they heal properly and do not show early signs of infection.
They also need to watch patients for the red flags that arise when a patient develops sepsis. Minor infections can sometimes trigger aggressive bodily reactions that cause more medical risk than the infection itself.
Sepsis occurs when the body overreacts to an infection. Sepsis progresses rapidly and can cause permanent medical complications, including brain damage. Sepsis can also prove fatal if not treated promptly.
Proper monitoring of vital signs is also critical for the first 48 hours after surgery. Changes in a patient’s heart rate and blood pressure can be indicative of internal bleeding, infections and sepsis onset. The failure to monitor the patient can lead to severe side effects and lasting medical consequences even though the procedure itself was uneventful.
The risks that arise after surgery are well known, which means that competent medical professionals understand the importance of post-surgical monitoring. The failure to adhere to best practices when providing patient care can constitute medical malpractice if that failure causes verifiable harm.
Patients who suspect that poor post-surgical care may have affected their prognosis, and families who believe that a post-surgical tragedy was the result of insufficient medical monitoring, may need to talk with a medical malpractice attorney. Reviewing medical records with a skilled legal team may allow those affected by negligent post-surgical care to pursue appropriate compensation through a medical malpractice lawsuit.