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Surgical Errors

Surgical errors are often referred to as wrong or so-called "wrong-site surgeries," in which the surgery is done on the incorrect part of the body. Cases of such surgeries are thought to be on the rise in America. Such incidents are notoriously under-reported so it's unclear if doctors are really making more mistakes or simply reporting more.

Wrong-site surgery gets widespread attention during spectacular cases, as happened when a surgeon at University Community Hospital in Tampa amputated the wrong foot of a patient in 1995.

The American Academy of Orthopedic Surgery recommended that members initial the correct spot before surgery. However, simple act by itself is not expected to eliminate many errors.