Post-Op Problems Might Not be a Doctor’s Fault

Duke University Medical Center in Durham, NC released a report that outlines the top factors that can affect a post-surgical recovery. These factors have a significant affect on patient mortality after surgery.

Post-operative care can last as little to a week to many months, depending on the type of surgery and the health of the patient. Whether someone is just getting their wisdom teeth removed or they are having a kidney transplant, there is a surgical site that requires professional treatment and supervision. Since healing times are different for everyone, physicians assess the patient's health to guide them through the recovery process.

For patients who have undergone surgery that required anesthesia, three variables influence a patient's risk of death. Medical doctors need to be aware of these risk factors so that special care, extra tests and close monitoring are provided.

The three factors cited in the Duke study are:

• Median arterial pressure (MAP)
  Median anesthetic concentration (MAC)
  Bispectral index (BIS) - tracks sedation status and monitors the affects of anesthesia

Patients who have low values in each of these three areas are 2.5 times more likely to die during the first year after surgery. Some skeptics thought the study was skewed by patients with a history of heart disease, who were older or already at a high risk of death. The new study, however, reviewed data collected from 20,000 patients with no relation to heart disease. According to ScienceNewsOnline, "even when adjusting for patient age and patient risk profile, the findings held up."

If you experienced issues after a surgery and believe you are the victim to wrong-site surgery, unnecessary surgery or experienced insufficient treatment, contact a medical malpractice attorney at our Raleigh, Fayetteville or Dunn offices. Brent Adams & Associates' medical negligence lawyers help innocent patients who have been injured because of a doctor or medical center's poor care.