Some surgery patients experience discomfort after an operation, which may be entirely normal. However, severe symptoms such as harsh pain or a fever could be a sign that something went wrong during the surgery, perhaps because of an item a surgeon left in the body of the patient.
You should feel confident that your surgery team will not make errors that endanger your health. While many patients make it through an operation without an incident, WebMD points out that sometimes a member of a surgery team leaves an instrument inside of a patient, which could trigger harmful health problems.
How surgical items can cause harm
Leaving an item inside your body has the potential to damage your health in different ways. The object can cause a blockage. The item may carry an infection that spreads into your body. The object could also cause internal tearing, possibly damaging one or more of your organs. Part of your body tissue might suffer inflammation and build up infected fluid or pus.
Symptoms of internal body damage
These problems can manifest themselves through painful symptoms. In addition to pain and fever, a surgical item inside your body can create nausea. Bowel movements may generate disordered or bloody stool. The part of your body where surgeons had operated might show swelling or seeping drainage. Some patients cough or vomit blood.
It is important to recognize these problems as you may need immediate medical attention. Once you have received treatment and are stable, you might check to see if the negligence of your surgery team was responsible for endangering your health. Evidence such as your medical records could be of assistance in protecting your interests.