Post-Operative Hemorrhages

The reality is that surgery is not always successful. In some cases, an adverse outcome is unavoidable and nobody’s fault. In other cases, however, a poor outcome is a result of a medical professional’s error. If you or someone close to you suffered complications due to a post-operative hemorrhage after a surgical procedure, you may be entitled to compensation for your harm. At Arfaa Law Group, our Baltimore medical malpractice lawyers can thoroughly examine the facts of your case and provide you with an honest assessment of your claim.

A post-operative hemorrhage refers to bleeding after a surgical procedure. It is a common complication that can occur after any surgical procedure. The hemorrhage may take place immediately after the surgery or be delayed, and it is not always restricted to the surgical wound. According to one National Healthcare Quality Report, about 2.24 post-operative hemorrhages take place per 1,000 surgical discharges in the United States. Post-operative hemorrhages may have a variety of causes, including:

• Stitch or staple issues: stitches or staples used to close cuts can be pulled, causing the wound to open and bleed.
• Organ perforation: a surgeon may mistakenly make an incision in the body and fail to notice it, resulting in internal bleeding.
• Secondary hemorrhaging: this occurs when the patient does not bleed immediately after surgery but starts bleeding some time later. This type of bleeding could result from the patient’s blood failing to clot or the use of certain drugs.
• Broken or ruptured blood vessels: sometimes simply moving the patient after an operation is enough to cause internal bleeding, which can significantly harm the patient, depending on the amount of blood loss.

Appropriate post-operative care is often a critical component of a successful procedure. Patients should not be released from the hospital until medical professionals are certain that there are no symptoms of bleeding. Physicians can order a variety of tests to make sure to detect bleeding. If you or someone close to you has been injured due to post-operative bleeding after a surgical procedure, an injury attorney likely can help you file a medical malpractice claim against the at-fault party. Under Maryland law, medical malpractice takes place when a surgeon fails to use the level of care and caution that a reasonably prudent surgeon would have used in the same situation. The injured plaintiff must also establish that the surgeon’s incompetent conduct was the direct cause of their harm.

For example, a surgeon who fails to notice that a patient’s blood is not clotting properly or who moves a patient too soon after a procedure probably would not have met the applicable standard of care. However, an expert witness would need to explain what a competent doctor would have done so that a jury can understand the technical nuances of the case. A defendant usually will retain their own expert witness as well, so these cases often come down to which expert is more credible.

If malpractice is established, a plaintiff may be able to recover a variety of damages. Damages are the legal term for compensation in malpractice cases. Typically, a plaintiff can recover medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering compensation, and damages for other losses arising from the malpractice.

Post-operative hemorrhages can seriously affect a patient’s life. If you have suffered a post-operative hemorrhage due to a medical professional’s negligence, we can help. At Arfaa Law Group, our personal injury and wrongful death lawyers understand the nuances of malpractice law and have obtained many substantial verdicts and settlements on behalf of injured patients. We are here to answer your questions and address your concerns at every step of the way. We represent people throughout the state of Maryland. To discuss your case in more detail, feel free to call us at 410-889-1850 or contact us online.