Question about VA Malpractise.

[Averageman]

Close relative goes in for a colonoscopy and gets his colon pierced by the Medical Provider during the process.
I'm pretty upset about what happened, just wondering what kind of action needs to be taken to get this resolved?
He's over 70 and sure didn't need this in his life right now.

[Sensei]

Perforation is a known complication associated with colonoscopy that I'm sure was disclosed to your family member when they were consented for the procedure. The fact that a complication occurred does not by itself suggest malpractice. Do you have some other reason to believe that the care was substandard? For example, did your family member call the doctor with worsening pain only to be told that the pain is normal (it's not) resulting in a delay in diagnosis?

[Averageman]

My Understanding:
Went in for the procedure and the the perforation was discovered during the procedure and he went straight to ICU. Doing the surgery tomorrow to repair, he will have a bag until it heals.
I didn't know that was a common occurance.

[ABNAK]

Many procedures in VA hospitals are performed by residents. There are attendings who oversee things, and at times they are the ones actually doing the procedure, especially if things become difficult or complicated. However, that's how the VA gets relatively low cost medical services for the most part......they're "teaching facilities" affiliated with medical schools. Take from that what you will.

Sensei, don't take offense as I know you were a resident once, but it is what it is.

[Sensei]

My Understanding:
Went in for the procedure and the the perforation was discovered during the procedure and he went straight to ICU. Doing the surgery tomorrow to repair, he will have a bag until it heals.
I didn't know that was a common occurance.

It's not common, but it is well described in the literature as a complication that we see. It is less than 0.1% of all cases but this varies depending on the nature of the procedure. For example, emergent procedures and those requiring polypectomy have higher perforation rates according to most studies. While this rate seems low, many gastroenterologists do 5 or 6 per day when they are not seeing patients in the office. Crunch the numbers and every gastroenterologist will see this complication a few times in their career.

Part of the reason for the malpractice crisis in the US is our collective tendency to equate a bad outcome to malpractice. In reality, most bad outcomes have nothing to do with poor care and everything to do with the fallibility of the human body.

[Averageman]

I was pretty concerned after reading about some other complications with that procedure in other VA facilities.
I'm heading over there a bit later in the day, so I will get to see how he's doing.

[Sensei]

I hope that your family member makes a full and speedy recovery.

[Averageman]

I hope that your family member makes a full and speedy recovery.

Thanks I appreciate that.