Once got a lap sponge as a specimen in the path lab. No history. Why would they give us history? It wasn't like it was a diagnostic challenge from our end.
It is certainly possible for a hospital with an otherwise fine safety record to make two life-threatening errors involving the same patient in a single hospital stay. Constellations of unrelated events do occur.
Some species of marine sponges have lifespans of a couple hundred years. I suspect the lifespans of surgical sponges are not nearly so impressive, but either way, it would be a really boring history for somebody to take down.
Word verification: desquing. The act of removing a sponge.
The radiologists may have missed it, but in there defense... It probably looked like poop.... The team who left it in...i.e. surgeon and nurse doing the sponge count, should be the focus here...different sponges have different types of markers and after 5 months... could have been digested...that patient should have been xrayed before he was off the table because the sponge count didn't match.
I particularly enjoy the tag line, "I was shocked." I don't know if the judge understands the punchline, but I laughed a little (despite the misstep).
ReplyDeleteSays he's suing a couple of radiologists. Guess they missed the radiopaque marker on the sponge?
ReplyDeleteOnce got a lap sponge as a specimen in the path lab. No history. Why would they give us history? It wasn't like it was a diagnostic challenge from our end.
ReplyDeleteWho lives in your tummy next to the feces?
ReplyDeleteSPONGE BOB SURGERY!
Who causes you ouchies when you poop and you pee?
SPONGE BOB SURGERY!
Moose, you are awesome. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteIt is certainly possible for a hospital with an otherwise fine safety record to make two life-threatening errors involving the same patient in a single hospital stay. Constellations of unrelated events do occur.
ReplyDeleteNonetheless it gives me the creeps.
@The Mother
ReplyDeleteSome species of marine sponges have lifespans of a couple hundred years. I suspect the lifespans of surgical sponges are not nearly so impressive, but either way, it would be a really boring history for somebody to take down.
Word verification: desquing. The act of removing a sponge.
Captcha? part o u! :-)
ReplyDelete....and it wasn't even a teey, tiny little 2 by 2 or something. The sucket they left in this poor guy was big enough to use in a sewing project!
Pattie, RN
The radiologists may have missed it, but in there defense... It probably looked like poop.... The team who left it in...i.e. surgeon and nurse doing the sponge count, should be the focus here...different sponges have different types of markers and after 5 months... could have been digested...that patient should have been xrayed before he was off the table because the sponge count didn't match.
ReplyDelete