Each year, over 300,000 individuals undergo surgery for a hip replacement. Over the course of the next 15 years, it is expected for that number to increase by double. With each added surgery, the chance of a complication increases. Hip replacement surgeries -- in New York and across the nation -- are known for a particular major complication: one leg being shorter or longer than the other leg, which is often the result of a surgical error.
The difference in leg length is a mistake that can be easily prevented during surgery. Despite that, though, studies show that this particular mistake is related to roughly five percent of all mistakes made in the surgery room. One physician in Chicago says that roughly one-third of patients who undergo a hip replacement surgery will have one leg longer than the other.
When a person suffers from leg length differences, pain in the back and hip are expected. In addition, when the difference in length is significant, it is virtually impossible to live a regular daily life. In some cases, a subsequent surgery may not be necessary to fix the leg length inequalities. However, in other instances, where the length is significantly different between the two legs, a second surgery is often required. This can lead to extra costs for the patients and even medical malpractice claims in some situations.
For those who have undergone a hip replacement surgery and have been left with one leg longer than the other, some may be interested in learning of the legal options that are available to them. The difference in length is typically a result of a surgical error on the doctor's part. New York physicians are expected to provide a certain level of care when providing medical treatment or performing surgery. When they fail to do so, they can be held responsible for their negligence.
Source: kgw.com, Uneven legs an unexpected consequence of hip surgery, No author, March 21, 2014
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