Medics leave 821 objects inside surgical patients
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Tuesday May 05 2009
THE number of instruments left inside patients after surgery has doubled in just three years, an Irish Independent investigation has found.
A total of 821 needles, sponges, swabs and other surgical tools have been found since 2006 inside patients after they underwent routine operations.
More than 304 so-called 'foreign objects' were discovered last year alone -- compared to 182 three years earlier.
The Health Service Executive has been forced to pay out more than €750,000 in compensation to 39 patients as a result of related legal action.
The incidents happened across a range of medical specialities such as emergency medicine, obstetrics, surgery and paediatrics.
In many cases, swabs were left inside women who had given birth in hospital. Tiny surgical tools used for keyhole surgery were also found.
While some patients only experienced a small amount of pain, others suffered serious complications and injury.
Compensation
A total of €757,000 was paid out in compensation to the affected patients.
The HSE last night said that adverse events were a feature of every health system.
"Events involving the retention of swabs, needles or devices are one type of adverse event," a spokeswoman told the Irish Independent.
"Hospitals have local policies, procedures, and practices in place to reduce the likelihood of an adverse event related to the retention of swabs, needles or devices.
"For example, swab counting is a routine part of surgical practice and this is supported by . . . documentation."
But patient groups and opposition TDs last night expressed alarm at the increase in clinical mistakes, and insisted a growing lack of resources in hospitals -- which has heaped further pressure on staff -- is to blame.
International studies have shown that surgical instruments are more likely to be left in a patient's body in 'stressful situations' such as emergency operations.
Swabs are made of gauze and are used to soak up blood and to protect organs during surgery. If left inside the body they can cause potentially deadly infections, such as sepsis, or blood poisoning as well as obstruction of the intestines.
In Ireland, hospitals have been legally obliged to report any "adverse clinical incidents" since 2000. The figures are complied by the Clinical Indemnity Scheme, which is the responsibility of the National Treasury Management Agency, on a national "clinical incident" database. Between 2006 and 2009 more than 208,000 adverse clinical incidents were recorded.
Events relating to the retention of swabs and other surgical instruments accounted for just 0.4pc of all clinical events.
Labour Health spokeswoman Jan O'Sullivan last night said the HSE needed to examine the safety systems in place.
"I am very alarmed at the number of surgical devices being left in patients. This sort of thing is completely avoidable," she said.
"I think emergency departments are hugely under pressure and I think this may be part of the problem."
Fine Gael Health spokesman, Dr James Reilly, branded the revelations "deeply disturbing".
"It is clear that frontline staff are being stretched to the limit and mistakes are being made. And this is being reflected in our hospitals," he said.
"The service is deteriorating and that is because of overcrowding and the lack of resources. Hospitals have become unsafe."
Stephen McMahon, chair of the Irish Patients' Association, said proper safety procedures were not being adhered to.
"The simple fact is that nothing should be left behind," he said.
- Patricia McDonagh
