Elective surgery is a big business in the US, with millions of Americans opting to go under the knife every year to fix anything from a broken nose to a broken digestive tract. Elective surgery can be as simple as having a mole removed to as complex as having a hip replaced. Because of their invasive nature, surgeries of any kind can be dangerous. This is just as true of elective surgeries.

What Is an Elective Surgery?

An elective surgery is one in which the surgery is not to correct a life-threatening condition. While the name seems to imply that it's something which is completely optional, this is not quite the case. An elective surgery is merely one in which the surgery is not an emergency which, if unperformed, would cause the patient to die. An elective surgery may be for important medical reasons, such as removing a cataract or replacing an ailing hip, or something purely cosmetic, such as breast augmentation or other forms of plastic surgery. It can even fall someplace in between, such as removing a potentially cancerous mole.

Potential Risks

Unlike emergency surgeries, elective ones are planned out in advance, reducing the likelihood of unforeseen problems during the procedure. Unfortunately, no surgery is without the danger of sudden problems developing, and these problems can be life-threatening. Common examples of such problems include:

• Infection. Any time foreign objects enter the body, there is a chance for an infection to develop. Infections can be potentially life-threatening if not treated correctly.
• Hemorrhaging. Hemorrhaging is the loss of blood from the circulatory system, and can occur either through the skin, through an orifice, or internally, as is more frequently the case in surgery. Internal bleeding can be incredibly dangerous, especially if the blood pool sand causes necrosis, the premature death of cells.
• Surgery often involves anesthesia, which can lead to problems. Some people go into anaphylactic shock, which occurs when the body has an allergic reaction to anesthetics. Another common problem is an overdose,which can lead to problems waking up after the surgery, or worse. In rare occasions, a person may wake up in the middle of surgery.

These complications are comparatively rare, and if the surgeon operating on you has a good history in the procedure, there is probably nothing to worry about. However, if your procedure is botched, you may have the makings for a medical malpractice lawsuit.

If you would like to learn more about the rights of patients and how to start malpractice proceedings, visit http://www.philadelphiamedicalmalpractice.com. Joseph Devine Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Joseph_Devine