Surgery can be a risky and relatively invasive form of medical care. Patients have to put their absolute trust in the team conducting the operation. Most people breathe a deep sigh of relief when they come out of anesthesia. They assume that the worst is behind them and that recovery is all but guaranteed.
Unfortunately, many surgical complications arise not during the actual procedure but during the post-surgical recovery period. Particularly when healthcare professionals do not provide adequate aftercare and patient monitoring, the possibility of poor outcomes increases. The following are some of the medical issues that doctors may cause by providing inadequate post-surgical support.
Major infections
Even relatively minor surgeries create a risk of severe infection. Hospitals are known sources of infection risk, as some of the most dangerous pathogens proliferate in hospitals. When someone has an incision, there is an opportunity for infection to enter the body and cause real damage. Healthcare professionals typically need to teach people about how to care for their wounds and monitor wound healing to minimize the risk of post-surgical infection.
Opioid dependence
Even outpatient surgeries tend to cause pain that lasts for multiple days. People need help managing pain, and modern opioid medication does an excellent job of controlling pain symptoms. However, opioids are very strong. Physicians need to monitor how they react to opioids and help them strategically end opioid use. If a physician fails to taper someone’s dose off and help them end their pain management regimen, they may develop a life-threatening dependency on opioid medication.
Long-term functional limitations
Perhaps someone had a total knee replacement surgery. They require rest but also appropriate exercise. Rehabilitation services and physical therapy or at least a dynamic splint might be necessary to ensure that a patient does not lose functional ability after undergoing a surgery. Other times, scarring caused by improper aftercare could cause pain that reduces someone’s overall strength or range of motion.
If inadequate surgical support after a procedure contributes to a poor outcome for a patient, they may have grounds for a medical malpractice lawsuit. Prioritizing aftercare is a crucial aspect of properly supporting a patient who requires an operation.