Southeast Massachusetts Malpractice Lawyers, Boston
Colonoscopies are by far the best detection tool for a variety of conditions including colon cancer. As a result, adults age 50 and over are recommended to receive colonoscopies. This is because colon cancer is the second most diagnosed type of cancer and elderly adults are at particular risk of being diagnosed. Some people, however, are harmed due to colonoscopies. If you believe that you have been harmed due to a colonoscopy, it is a wise idea to obtain the assistance of a seasoned attorney who can help you obtain the compensation that you deserve.
Colonoscopy Injuries
Colonoscopies are often performed without a patient experiencing any difficulties. Damage, however, can occur if a physician performing the procedure lacks adequate experience or does not perform the test with the appropriate level of care. Some of the most common injuries that are experienced by patients due to colonoscopies include aggravation of underlying bowel disorders, bowel perforation, sepsis, and splenic tear or rupture. If a person experiences any of these injuries, however, it might not be from medical malpractice.
Common Types of Spleen Injuries
Most people who have colonoscopies do not experience any injuries, but those who do tend to experience one of several common conditions. The three most common ways in which spleen injuries occur include the following:
- Abdominal adhesions that form in a person who has previously had abdominal surgery.
- Direct trauma to the spleen, which can occur due to either external or internal pressure that arises during the colonoscopy. While pressure can help perform a colonoscopy if looping difficulties arise, too much pressure can lead to serious injuries.
- Increased splenocolic ligament traction which occur due to instruments that are used during biopsies.
The Danger of Perforated Bowels due to Colonoscopy
One of the most common injuries that can occur due to a colonoscopy is a perforation of the colon, which involves an accidental cut or hole in the colon. Abdominal pain frequently arises due to perforation of the bowel. Some patients also experience dizziness, while laboratory tests frequently show a decrease in hematocrit and hemoglobin levels. While some doctors think that perforation is simply a recognized risk of malpractice, a perforated colon can occur due to malpractice. Malpractice in perforation cases can occur if a physician declines to acknowledge that the area was perforated or if inadequate follow up treatment is provided. A diagnostic colonoscopy also has different associated risks than a colonoscopy that is used to remove a polyp from a person. Perforations that arise during a diagnostic colonoscopy are much more likely to constitute malpractice than perforations that arise due to therapeutic colonoscopies.
Contact an Experienced Medical Malpractice Attorney
If you have been impacted by medical malpractice that occurred due to a colonoscopy, you should not hesitate to obtain the services of a skilled attorney. The Law Offices of Gerald J. Noonan has over 35 years of experience helping people whose lives have been impacted by medical malpractice. From start to finish, our legal counsel will remain committed to fighting for the compensation that you deserve.
We offer a free, no-obligation legal consultation to help you understand your rights and the value of your case.
Our medical malpractice lawyers assist clients throughout all of Massachusetts including, but not limited to, those in the following counties, cities and towns: Plymouth County, Brockton, Plymouth, Bridgewater, Marshfield, Hingham, Duxbury, Wareham, Abington, Rockland, Whitman, Hanson, Holbrook, Middleborough; Norfolk County including Quincy, Stoughton, Dedham, Weymouth, Braintree, Avon, Holbrook, Randolph, Canton, Sharon, Brookline, Franklin; Bristol County including New Bedford, Fall River, Taunton, Attleboro, Westport, Dartmouth, Mansfield, Easton, Raynham, Lakeville, Norton; Cape Cod, Hyannis, Falmouth, Barnstable and the Greater Boston area including Cambridge, Somerville, Medford, Everett, Lawrence, Lynn, Revere, Dorchester, Roxbury.
