Improper Arm Positioning During Surgery Can Cause Serious Injuries And Be New York Medical Malpractice

Surgery

Surgical is tough on the human body. You are cutting skin and flesh to perform a procedure. A cocktail of VERY powerful drugs are sent through your system and can also have an effect on your body. It is common for a patient to be sore and in pain following surgery, including unexplained pain in areas not operated on. This is just simply because of the procedures on the body.

But sometimes that pain does not go away. Sometimes that pain is not normal, but actually due to an injury caused during surgery. One example is arm pain following a surgical procedure. Even if a patient is having back surgery or leg pain, the arm can be injured following a surgical procedure.

How?

Positioning!

Positioning during a surgery is very important. If a limb is placed in an awkward position which causes pins and needles or pain, the patient is anesthetized and can’t move it. And pain means a problem that needs correcting. So if a patient can’t move his or her limb which is in pain, it can result in DAMAGE—and permanent damage at that!

Improper positioning of an arm can place pressure on certain parts of the arm that cannot withstand such pressure. This includes on arteries, veins, nerves, and other points. In fact, improper positioning of the arm can easily result in serious injuries to the nerves therein. This can affect sensation of pressure, temperature, and feeling. This can also destroy motor nerves which results in the loss of movement in the arm. This can be permanent!

Is improper positioning medical malpractice though?

ABSOLUTELY!

Remember, a patient CANNOT MOVE! He or she is placed by the surgical team—the doctors, nurses, and staff are responsible for placement. That means the team must be aware of a patient’s body type, weight, age, height, co-morbidities like diabetes or blood pressure, duration of the surgery, location of the surgery, loss of blood, and other factors. Patients with diabetes, high or low blood pressure, or other circulation problems need to be especially cared for. The surgical pads, tools, table padding, and other factors also need to be considered.

When a medical staff does not, that can be medical malpractice! It is very serious and can result in very serious personal injuries to a patient. It absolutely allows a patient to recover compensation for his or her injuries and the potentially life-long disabilities.