Sponges Left Inside After Surgery Can Cause Serious Injuries
Doctors leaving sponges inside patients after surgery? Does this really happen? Yes, and unfortunately, is not as unusual as you think. Some studies suggest that about 1,500 people in U. S. medical facilities have objects accidentally left inside them after surgery. Others suggest it could be higher --- as many as 3000 to 5000 cases yearly. The most common object left behind? Sponges. Amounting to about 2/3 of the surgical objects left inside of patients, these sponges can lead to pain, infection, bowel obstructions, problems in healing, longer hospital stays, additional surgeries and, in rare cases, death.
More than a few patients have complained about nagging pain after surgery that will not go away. Back pain, for example, when the surgical problem does not routinely cause back pain. Or multiple infections that have no clear explanation. These patients go back and forth to the doctor, and sometimes get labeled as complainers. Many live with pain for years. Only when an x-ray or MRi is taken do they find a left behind sponge or scapel or other surgical object. Sometimes emergency surgery is necessary to remove the foreign object, particularly if it has been there so long that the body has absorbed it (grown into or stuck to organs).
Is there anything begin done by the medical community to avoid this problem?
More in our next blog.
My daughter had surgery 9 weeks ago and has come to find out 3 sponges were left inside her. Today she is undergoing surgery to have them removed. She complained of pain for sometime and I feel the hospital should be sued.
I had surgery a week and 1/2 ago and I am experiencing a burning pain in my side that is getting worst! what are the symptoms of sponges that are left in