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Northwest Indiana Unnecessary Surgery Attorneys

Patients want to trust their doctors when they recommend surgery over other remedies for illness or disease. However, the National Institutes of Health studies show that up to 30% of certain surgeries may be unnecessary, especially when considering that alternative treatments may exist.

Why Do Unnecessary Surgeries Occur?

Unnecessary surgeries occur due to the following reasons:

  • The doctor does not understand alternative treatment methods.
  • The patient is not told about alternative treatments.
  • Misdiagnosis of a patient’s injury or illness
  • The hospital group recommends surgery due to increased billing cost.

At Theodoros & Rooth, P.C., we are committed to representing patients who have suffered as a result of unnecessary surgeries. With more than a century’s worth of collective experience, our attorneys have the know-how and skill needed to effectively represent patients’ rights and interests across Northwest Indiana. No matter how or why your medical provider conducted unnecessary surgery on you, we want to help you seek justice on your behalf.

If you suspect that you may have been the victim of an unnecessary surgery, call 219-733-8633 for a free consultation with a Northwest Indiana surgical malpractice lawyer.

What Is The Most Common Unnecessary Surgery?

Recent studies show that coronary stents remain the most common unnecessary surgery. For example, a survey by the Lown Institute – based on an analysis of Medicare claims – revealed that over 45,000 stents procedures performed on older adults were not required.

Other studies found that spine (spine fusion, vertebroplasty), gynecological (hysterectomies, C-sections), and knee/hip replacements were also among the most common unnecessary surgeries.

What Percent Of Surgeries Are Unnecessary?

Studies consistently suggest that 10 to over 20% of medical procedures nationwide seem unnecessary. For example, a JAMA International Medicine study found that 24% of Medicare users who underwent surgeries were deemed unnecessary. Another 2017 John Hopkins instate survey conducted among physicians determined that 11.1% of medical care was unnecessary.

Can A Doctor Be Sued For Performing Unnecessary Surgery?

Victims can sue a doctor who performed unnecessary surgeries. The basis for such a lawsuit is to answer whether a doctor performed the surgery under the expected standard of care a health professional would provide under the same circumstances. However, not all lawsuits may be viable. This is one of the many reasons why having an honest evaluation of your situation by a seasoned attorney can help potential victims evaluate if they have a case, gather evidence and discuss their options.

Why Are Unnecessary Surgeries Performed?

Reputable institutions such as the American Medical Association (AMA) and the American College of Surgeons (ACS), to name a few, have widely discussed and addressed this issue to raise awareness among the health care community.

Various clinical trials and analyses have suggested that medical staff training may play a significant role in performing unnecessary surgery. Under certain circumstances, physicians may not consider alternative treatments like therapy or drugs to avoid surgery. Other causes are the potential profit medical staff will obtain from the procedure.

Types Of Unnecessary Surgery Claims We Handle

Our Northwest Indiana unnecessary operations lawyers have heard from clients who have had the following unnecessary surgeries and more:

  • Pacemakers
  • Defibrillators
  • Heart stents
  • Leg stents
  • Amputations
  • Back surgeries
  • Plastic surgery
  • Sinus and nose surgery
  • Sleep disorder surgery
  • Gastrointestinal endoscopy and colonoscopy
  • Coronary bypass surgery
  • Gastric bypass surgery
  • Hysterectomies

Complications Caused By Unnecessary Surgery

The purpose of surgery is to cause some sort of bodily harm in order to correct a different, more serious issue. As a natural part of the surgical process, bleeding, swelling and pain will occur. Due to the given side effects of any surgery, doctors must always be extremely cautious when recommending surgery. Failing to assess a patient’s health and their treatment risks will put them in harm’s way unnecessarily. Conducting an unnecessary surgery could cause a number of serious complications, including:

  • Hemorrhaging
  • Blood clots
  • Organ damage
  • Infections
  • Amputation
  • Allergic reaction to anesthesia
  • Persistent pain or swelling
  • Loss of feeling or function in the operation area

How Common Are Unnecessary Surgeries?

You might think that unnecessary surgeries must be few and far between. You might have even been convinced by your medical provider that unnecessary operations are so rare that there is no way you were actually harmed by one. The reality is quite opposite, though, as numerous studies and organizations throughout the years have concluded. Some of the most prominent findings on unnecessary surgeries and medical errors in the U.S. are*:

  • More than 250,000 Americans lost their loved ones due to improper or unnecessary medical procedures in 2016.
  • Nearly 20% of all spinal or back surgeries were found to be medically unnecessary, according to a study from the Department of Neurological Surgery of the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York.
  • Vertebroplasty for osteoporotic spinal fractures has been deemed entirely useless to treat pain and disabilities by the New England Journal of Medicine.
  • Unnecessary surgeries and other medical procedures accrue more than $200 billion in costs to the health care system, according to the National Academy of Medicine.

How Our Unnecessary Surgery Attorneys Help Injured Patients

In Indiana, proving that a surgery was unnecessary and linked to medical malpractice is extremely complicated. Injured patients are required to present their evidence to a medical board before they can even file a lawsuit. Claimants must also prove their doctors breached an acceptable standard of care by performing harmful, unnecessary operations that resulted in real damages. Having an experienced Northwest Indiana unnecessary surgery attorney on your side is a great way to make your claim much simpler for yourself. Our team of lawyers from Theodoros & Rooth, P.C., are here to act on your behalf, respond to inquiries from the defendant, speak to expert witnesses as needed, investigate available evidence and so forth, all in pursuit of holding your doctors responsible for their negligence or wrongdoing. While we get to work and tirelessly pursue justice and compensation, you can do your best to rest and recuperate from the injuries you have suffered at the hands of a negligent medical professional.

To begin your claim, contact Theodoros & Rooth, P.C., today at 219-733-8633 or email us.