Knock Knock Eye: What Led to the Wrong Organ Being Removed in Surgery?

Knock Knock, Hi! with the Glaucomfleckens

In this episode of Knock Knock Eye, I dive into the terrifying world of "never events" — surgical mistakes that should never happen. From stories of operating on the wrong eye to the shocking case of a surgeon removing a liver instead of a spleen, I explore how these catastrophic errors occur, despite the safeguards in place. I also discuss my own experiences in the operating room and the importance of meticulous safety protocols. Tune in for a thought-provoking discussion on medical errors and how to prevent them.

Takeaways:

Understanding Never Events: The episode dives deep into the concept of "never events," which are serious medical errors that should never happen, such as operating on the wrong body part or removing the wrong organ.

A Shocking Real-Life Case: The episode covers a disturbing case where a surgeon in Florida mistakenly removed a patient's liver instead of their spleen, highlighting how even in modern medicine, catastrophic errors can happen.

Vasovagal Reactions and Their Prevalence: Dr. Flannery discusses vasovagal reactions, a common response to certain triggers in the medical setting, like eye exams or injections, where patients may faint or experience dizziness.

The Role of the Surgeon as the Last Line of Defense: The episode underscores how surgeons, as the final checkpoint, are responsible for catching any potential errors, such as verifying the correct lens during cataract surgery or ensuring they’re operating on the correct eye.

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