What Are The Long-Term Effects Of A Botched Colonoscopy?

Colonoscopy, a common diagnostic and treatment method for colonic ailments, is generally considered safe. However, it’s important to note that as an invasive procedure, it carries potential complications. These complications range from minor issues like post-procedure bleeding and slight abdominal discomfort to more severe, long-term outcomes such as colonic perforation, cardiopulmonary arrest, or even fatalities.

As people live longer, more colonoscopies are being done worldwide. However, this increase raises concerns about possible problems either during or after the procedure, especially for older patients or those with inflammatory bowel diseases.

What Are The Side Effects Of A Colonoscopy?

Endoscopic procedures, especially those involving sedation, such as colonoscopies, carry inherent risks. It’s common for patients to experience at least one minor gastrointestinal symptom after undergoing a colonoscopy. These side effects include:

• Nausea or abdominal pain
• Bleeding
• Infections
• Irregular heart rate
• Hypoxia
• Aspiration pneumonia

The risk of long-term effects from a colonoscopy increases when it is done for diagnostic or treatment purposes (like taking tissue for a biopsy or removing polyps), rather than being done solely for screening purposes.

Some of the more serious, often long-term, complications of a colonoscopy include:

• Hemorrhage – Excessive or dangerous bleeding is more common when polyps have been removed. While some bleeding following a colonoscopy isn’t always cause for concern, when it is excessive, or it lasts for weeks, it can lead to serious complications.
• Infection – Colonoscopy, like other invasive procedures, can lead to serious or life-threatening infections, especially if defective equipment is used or there is a failure to follow cleaning guidelines for reused equipment.
• Incisional hernia – This type of hernia occurs close to a surgical incision through which the intestine or other tissue protrudes. This type of hernia can occur at the polyp removal site or bowel perforation. In some cases, it can lead to severe, life-threatening complications.
• Bowel perforation – While uncommon, bowel perforation can occur during a colonoscopy, particularly when performed by less experienced healthcare providers. This complication involves the puncturing of any part of the bowel wall. This usually requires prompt treatment in order to avoid life-threatening problems such as sepsis.
• Splenic injury – Though uncommon, injuring the spleen during a colonoscopy can lead to a variety of abdominal symptoms that persist for months. A delay in treating this condition can be fatal.
• Small-bowel obstruction – A small-bowel obstruction is a blockage in the small intestine. In severe cases, the blood supply can become compromised, causing the bowel tissues to die. This is another life-threatening situation.
• Death – While less than one percent of colonoscopies result in death, it is a risk. And it is a risk that increases when medical negligence occurs.

What Types Of Colonoscopy Errors Result From Medical Malpractice?

Any violation of the accepted standard of care (the care expected from a competent medical provider with similar training and expertise under comparable conditions) may be considered medical malpractice. However, some colonoscopy mistakes are more commonly experienced in medical malpractice cases, including:

• Inadequate informed consent regarding procedure risks, particularly for high-risk patients
• Insufficient guidance for bowel preparation
• Attempting endoscopy passage through obstructed anatomy, leading to injury
• Failure to diagnose or treat conditions like irritable bowel syndrome or polyps during or after colonoscopy
• Improper sterilization of endoscopes, increasing the risk of bacterial transmission between patients
• Delayed or missed diagnosis post-colonoscopy due to negligence
• Failure to promptly diagnose and treat colonoscopy complications
• Neglecting to recommend colonoscopy for symptoms indicative of colon cancer, like rectal bleeding

When any of the above occurs and results in injury, you may be able to file a medical malpractice lawsuit against the responsible parties. These claims are often complicated and require medical and legal expertise to navigate. An experienced medical malpractice attorney will help you through the process. You don’t have to do this alone.

Why Choose Ross Feller Casey For Your Colonoscopy Medical Malpractice Case?

Suppose you or your loved one had a botched colonoscopy that left you with devastating, long-term injuries, or even death. In that case, you need Ross Feller Casey to represent you in a medical malpractice lawsuit. Our firm has developed national recognition for our experience, success, and trustworthiness and a history of securing many multimillion-dollar client verdicts and settlements.

One of the things that sets Ross Feller Casey apart is our team of Ivy League-educated doctors. They are prepared to help review and evaluate medical records, lending their medical expertise to our knowledgeable medical malpractice attorneys as they work on your claim. Let our team help you, as we have helped many other Pennsylvanian families like yours.

We operate on a contingency fee basis and will not collect payment from you until we win your case. If you believe you may have grounds for a medical malpractice lawsuit due to a colonoscopy error, contact us to schedule your free consultation.