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It pains me to hear about all the complications from surgeries that, in some cases, eclipse the intended benefit of the treatment.
What's worse is that, in emergency surgery, you don't get to pick your doctor or research ANYTHING. I swore to myself that if I was ever informed I'd need surgery, I'd go for four opinions before I'd let anyone touch me with a knife. That is, of course, unless I have a medical event where the timeline to saving my life precludes that luxury. Truly a scary thought.
Unfortunately, patient advocacy usually only occurs after the procedure. Most patients don't know which questions to ask, what research to perform, or what their options really are. They only know the limited world in which their doctor lives in - and it fits neatly under the company umbrella his hospital network provides.
I've heard countless adults remark that we need to teach kids valuable life skills, such as balancing a check book. Well, add this to the list, and we may eventually have a curriculum lengthy enough to fill a semester!
I pray for those (yes, I'm southern, get over it) both facing surgery and post-op, those faced with life-changing decisions, and those who are lost. The best place to be is one where you can get in touch with those farther down the line than you are, who know what lies in the road ahead. Use their hindsight as your foresight to challenge others when you're told something that just doesn't seem right.
Best to all of you.
You can get 4 and even 8 opinions and still come out with injury and/or complications...and you can get 1 opinion and come out fine. Everyone's body is unique in it's outcomes and healing.
You can get 4 and even 8 opinions and still come out with injury and/or complications...and you can get 1 opinion and come out fine. Everyone's body is unique in it's outcomes and healing.
Would you want to bet on the first opinion being the most appropriate? You need to attribute a portion of your credit to luck, and not 100% to yourself, it tends to spoil the ego.
You don't blame the patient's body for faulty medical devices or malpractice. Your response is what I'd expect in defense from a doctor accused of wrongdoing.
- Insufficient followup on procedures; spacing too lengthy between visits or lack of depth of analysis at visit
- Dismissive of complications when a patient isn't healing on schedule, experiences complications, or develops other conditions that did not exist prior to the procedure.
These are very real examples of what can allow complications to develop and progress to debilitating ailments for patients. Settlements are being given out like candy because hospitals are afraid of allowing too many precedents to be set in the event a patient were to actually win a case...
Thinking back to a hysterectomy I had in the 80's, one opinion, and I ended up in the hospital for 7 days as I had a fever that would not break. Finally, I broke down and cried and the fever broke. And this surgery left me with a horrid sciatic nerve damage. 40 yrs almost now. I work on it daily and it flairs up if I sit too long etc etc. But it's there.
And by the time people are given those consent forms to sign they are just about on the operating tables...no time to think about anything. I suppose too MOST don't think things will go wrong, I didn't with both surgeries I had.
Quote:
Originally Posted by melaniej65
I am sorry, but that is just ridiculous. Before I even receive an IV the nurse brings the consent to read and asks if I have any questions since I am blind the nurse reads every bit of the consent form to me. Then the anesthesiologist stops by to ask questions and goes over the risks of anesthesia and lastly my surgeon comes in and goes over the procedure, possible outcomes and the risks involved.
Only then does any actual medication go into the IV to relax me as I am taken into the theater. In emergency situations my DH reads and signs the necessary documents. If anyone fails to take the situation seriously then they are simply foolish.
It's not just ridiculous, it's utter bull****.
Quote:
Originally Posted by jaminhealth
I'm not talking about Everything, I'm talking surgery. Why do the members forever go to "there is risk in everything"... yes life is a risk. I'm not giving advice, I'm posting info...don't you see this?
You're not posting "info," you're posting an outright lie.
I suppose there's an inconvenient catch-22 if you are someone who doesn't trust or believe anything an MD gives them to read or tells them; including procedure information or informed consent forms. If you assume it's all lies anyway, more convenient not to read the material. Easier to blame everyone else when you end up dissatisfied with the result. Another self-fulfilling prophesy.
I'm sorry I can't give you rep points again this soon.
I had signed the consent forms two weeks before, when I met with the anesthesiologist to discuss what meds I would be given. I had to sign again the day of the surgery. And then the anesthesiologist who was actually going to be present during my surgery came in just before I was taken to the operating room and said everything I had discussed with the other anesthesiologist two weeks previous was not valid, and that she would be using different meds. At that point I was ready to get up and go home, but they insisted I had to have the surgery to make sure the precancerous cells were all gone, and it had been difficult to arrange a sitter for my kids and a day off for my husband, so I felt like I couldn't really back out of it at that point and have to arrange it all again later. I didn't start breathing again on my own when I was supposed to, and they said I had pneumonia and hadn't told them, which is completely untrue. I think I would have known if I had pneumonia. For a couple of years I wondered what had happened to me. My ob/gyn got the surgical notes for me, but she and I didn't see any clues there. Now I'm fairly certain I had an allergic reaction to propofol.
Or it was the dosage that was wrong. I was told after the second time that if I ever needed surgery again, I should be in a hospital thaat is very accustomed to dealing with high risk patients. I dont know who is going to pay that bill.
There are also risks in NOT having the surgery if it's needed.
If someone is in a situation where surgery is needed immediately it usually means it's life-threatening or necessary to save a limb, etc. I think at that point, complications from surgery would be the least of their worries.
In 2018, I can't imagine that any rational adult doesn't know that surgery carries risk and those risks increase as you get older or are in ill health.
AMEN ROWAN,
thank you so much. LOL, op acts like folks are rolling into Doctors office and saying "hey I didn't have anything to do today would you cut me open".
Anyhoo,
I've had quite a few surgerys.
1) Gall bladder removed. now it's a lot less invasive but I had mine done a long time ago. Had I not had it removed I'd be dead.
2) cervical cerclage. when I was pregnant with my second child I got really sick. had I not had it, I would have had a miscarriage and one of the joys of my life would not be here,
3) total knee replacement, left knee. OMG the difference in pain even after the surgery is absolutely amazing. I was bone on bone and could not walk nor work. now I'm running around Disney chasing after Disney princesses
3) total knee replacement, left knee. OMG the difference in pain even after the surgery is absolutely amazing. I was bone on bone and could not walk nor work. now I'm running around Disney chasing after Disney princesses
That's the weirdest side effect so far.
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And by the time people are given those consent forms to sign they are just about on the operating tables...no time to think about anything. I suppose too MOST don't think things will go wrong, I didn't with both surgeries I had.
One can sign miles of consents and liability releases and end up with complications. That paperwork means not that much. Unless, one is so damaged and then lawsuits enter into the picture.
Absolutely false.
I scheduled my surgery for my knee in October, the surgery was not until December. First of all I had to have all types of pre surgery test done and each one of them the complications and side effects were thoroughly explained to me.
and in fact I had to have all my paperwork in 2 weeks before surgery.
See this is the problem, you are not informing you are trying to scare folks. I have never ever heard of anyone signing consent forms right before their surgery.
Last edited by eliza61nyc; 08-16-2018 at 06:05 PM..
Thinking back to a hysterectomy I had in the 80's, one opinion, and I ended up in the hospital for 7 days as I had a fever that would not break. Finally, I broke down and cried and the fever broke. And this surgery left me with a horrid sciatic nerve damage. 40 yrs almost now. I work on it daily and it flairs up if I sit too long etc etc. But it's there.
Surely you didn't just walk in to a doctor's office one day and pick off the menu, "Hi there, I think I'd like a hysterectomy." I assume you had some issue for which hysterectomy was the recommended course of action.
Are you saying you didn't know or understand there were any risks involved? That you didn't give any thought before either surgery that things might not turn out perfectly? Honestly, who doesn't know that stuff can "go wrong"?
Few of us go eagerly to the operating room.
Your thread title is "Understanding the Risks Involved With Surgery." Understanding there are risks doesn't mitigate the possibility of complications. One opinion or ten – it would not have stopped you from having a complication if you were going to have one. If your condition requires a surgery, you get the surgery. Or you say nope. You're taking your chances either way. There are no guarantees.
This thread is kind of scattershot.
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