Colonoscopies And Medical Malpractice

Let’s face it, no one enjoys undergoing a colonoscopy procedure. It is invasive, uncomfortable, and downright unpleasant. But that is if the procedure is performed the proper way. When there are mistakes in the procedure which cause additional physical injury, it can be the product of New York medical malpractice and result in serious injury.

One of the most common complications from a colonoscopy which is the result of medical malpractice is a perforation. This is where a hole is punched in your bowel and it can lead to pain and infection. This can, in turn, result in very serious complications including sepsis which can be fatal. This is because the bowel perforation can cause leaking of the bowel into the stomach and chest cavity, which means fecal matter is mixing along with the rest of your organs. This is an obvious risk and potential cause of serious and life-threatening infections. After a bowel perforation, the surgeon performing the colonoscopy should repair the perforation or, if the bowel perforation is large or significant, there should be an immediate surgical consult to get the perforation repaired.

Especially if there is a perforation, but not necessary requiring a perforation, another complication of a colonoscopy is bleeding. This can be caused by trauma anywhere to the body during the colonoscopy. If the bleeding is not controlled, stopped, or identified where the source of the bleeding is, a patient’s health can quickly go downhill. This is because of the loss of blood, but also because of the risk of infection and sepsis since, after all, bleeding means there is a hole or damage where bacteria can enter can cause an infection.

Another instance of medical malpractice during a colonoscopy are complications caused by the anesthesia. This can result in a heart attack, respiratory arrest, organ damage, and brain damage. The risks of complications due to anesthesia during colonoscopies are rare, but they can be very dangerous and even fatal.

If you or a loved one have been injured during a colonoscopy procedure, you should always consult with an experienced New York medical malpractice attorney. These injuries can go from bothersome to immediately life-threatening and should always be evaluated and reviewed.

But what do you think? I would love to hear from you! Leave a comment or I also welcome your phone call on my toll-free cell at 1-866-889-6882 or you can drop me an e-mail at jfisher@fishermalpracticelaw.com. You are always welcome to request my FREE book, The Seven Deadly Mistakes of Malpractice Victims, at the home page of my website at www.protectingpatientrights.com.