New York Malpractice & Injury Lawyer Blog
You have been experiencing pain in your knee for quite some time. It finally becomes so bad that you visit a doctor, which is completely unlike you. Friends and family know that you must really be hurting if you took the time to seek medical device. The results are exactly what you feared: Your knee is shot and you need a new one. Before you decide to go under the knife, there are important things you need to understand about surgery.
It’s typically a good idea to seek a second opinion before you go under the knife for any reason, but certain surgical procedures make a second opinion an even better idea. Here’s why.
Before a drug can be released to the public, it must undergo several trials and the FDA must be sure that the drug is safe. The regulatory bar for a new medication is relatively high. This is because many medications may not have immediate side effects, only causing problems months or years after they have been taken. Medical devices can cause issues as well, but the approval process is not so stringent. Theo only thing that must be proven is that the device isn’t immediately dangerous.
Once a procedure or medical device has been shown to work and catches on, it is assured to be used by more and more surgeons and doctors. It is often only after hundreds or thousands of people have undergone surgeries that utilize those devices or procedures, and are injured as a result, that the news hits the public and class action lawsuits are filed.
Certain procedures are considered too dangerous or unnecessary to undergo, but your doctor may not tell you about the risks. If you are told that you need any of these surgeries, don’t sign up immediately. Instead, seek a second opinion and find out about every treatment option available to you.
Stenting and Coronary Bypass
Stenting is a process in which a balloon is threaded into the heart and blown up to remove a blockage. A wire mesh is then put in place to keep the vessel propped open. Stenting accounts for more than a million hospital procedures each year. Unfortunately, stenting doesn’t work as well in real life as it does on paper.
Research has shown that stenting is often a viable option for a patient who is experiencing a heart attack. It is also a good idea when a doctor believes that a heart attack is imminent without intervention. The issue arises when it is discovered that close to 350,000 of these procedures are performed on patients who are in no immediate danger of a heart episode.
Treatment for Prostate Cancer
There are two types of prostate cancer: The type that can be cured and the type that cannot be cured. Sadly, it really is that simple with prostate cancer. When prostate cancer is of the type that can be cured, it typically does not need to be. That is, if the cancer is left in the body, it will have little to no effect on the patient. The type of cancer that needs to be cured and cannot be will not respond to treatment of any type.
If you are diagnosed with early-stage prostate cancer, be sure that you are among the patients who would benefit from aggressive treatment before you sign up for it. It makes no sense to undergo surgery that will not benefit you.
Knee Arthroscopy
This is the most common form of orthopedic surgery in America. It involves the cleaning out of the knee and the smoothing of connective tissues with the use of an arthroscope. There have been several studies conducted on this procedure. In one, a group of patients who underwent the surgery had no better outcome than those who underwent six weeks of physical therapy. This leads one to wonder, then, just why so many of these procedures are performed every year.
If you are told that you need arthroscopic knee surgery to alleviate your pain, ask your doctor if therapy is an option. There is certainly no harm in at least attempting therapy before you have surgery. Your doctor should be receptive to the fact that you would prefer to pursue other avenues of relief.
It can be difficult for many patients to question their doctor. After all, these people spent years in medical school honing their craft. It may make it easier for a patient to ask questions when they know that many doctors are making decisions based on insurance company policies and the desire for bigger payouts. If you have been told that you need surgery, get a second opinion. It’s your body and your right.
If you have been harmed by a doctor or surgeon on New York, you may have legal grounds for a medical malpractice lawsuit. Call our office today to discuss the details of your injury at no cost to you. We will advise you of your options and help you move forward.