If You Are Still Having Problems After Your Knee Surgery You Should Call Our Medical Malpractice Lawyer in Oregon for Help
One of the most common types of lower limb surgeries is a knee surgery. According to statistics, there are over 2.4 million knee surgeries and hip surgeries each year in the United States. Many of these surgeries are a success, with other statistics indicating that over 90% of knee replacements – a type of knee surgery – are still functioning after 15 years. Another study indicates that 82% of total knee replacements were still functioning after 25 years. Despite this success, many patients still end up experiencing problems after knee surgery and medical malpractice. These issues are caused by the need for early revisions, infection, loosening parts, mechanical instability, polyethylene wear, and other damage to the apparatus. When this happens, victims and their families should consult with an experienced medical malpractice lawyer in Oregon such as ours.
Here at Kuhlman Law, our compassionate legal team can handle many different types of complex medical malpractice cases, including botched knee surgeries. We understand surgical errors and how to prove liability while also support a damages claim. There are many different types of possible problems after knee surgery and medical malpractice that our medical malpractice lawyer in Oregon may be able to handle for you. To learn more, contact us today to schedule a FREE consultation.
Types of Common Knee Surgeries
The knee is an incredibly complex joint. This means there are many different things that could go wrong and require surgery to repair the damage. Indeed, our medical malpractice lawyer in Oregon knows that are several common types of knee surgeries that are performed to treat a variety of knee-related injuries and conditions.
Some of the most common types of knee surgeries that could result in serious or catastrophic personal injuries due to medical malpractice include the following:
Arthroscopy
Knee arthroscopy is a minimally invasive procedure in which a small camera is inserted into the knee joint through small incisions. It is used to diagnose and treat various knee problems, such as meniscus tears, ligament injuries (like ACL and PCL tears), and cartilage damage. Most knee surgeries are arthroscopies.
Medical malpractice involving an arthroscopy surgery could be due to many different things, including wrong site surgery, slips of the tools, broken tools, improper fixes, infections, and other damage to nerves or vital structures in the knee.
Total Knee Replacement (TKR)
Also known as knee arthroplasty, this surgery involves replacing the entire knee joint with an artificial joint made of metal and plastic components. TKR is typically performed to relieve severe pain and restore function in cases of advanced osteoarthritis or other degenerative joint diseases. It is often considered a last-resort type of surgery.
Medical malpractice with a TKR can include many different things, including defective parts, improper installation, parts too loose or too tight, infections, wrong site surgery, cutting too much or too little of the bone, or needing an early revision.
Partial Knee Replacement (PKR)
In a PKR, only a part of the knee joint is replaced with an artificial joint, rather than the entire joint. This procedure is typically done when only one compartment of the knee is affected, and the other parts of the knee are relatively healthy.
Medical malpractice involving a PKR typically includes those similar to the TKR, including accidently performing a PKR when it was supposed to be a TKR.
Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) Reconstruction
ACL reconstruction is a surgery to repair or replace a torn ACL, one of the major ligaments in the knee. It’s commonly performed in cases of sports-related injuries or accidents where the ACL is damaged.
Medical malpractice involving an ACL repair can come in many different ways. This includes damaging other structures during a procedure, hitting a nerve, infections, or otherwise failing to completely repair the ACL. Some other errors include mistakes in the procedure itself. Whenever these errors occur, always contact an experienced medical malpractice lawyer in Oregon like ours.
Meniscectomy
This procedure involves the removal of a damaged or torn meniscus (the wedge-shaped cartilage in the knee). Meniscectomy is often performed using arthroscopy and is done to relieve pain and improve knee function.
Medical malpractice involving a meniscectomy is typically the same as an ACL, because the meniscus is in the same area as the ACL. However, meniscus surgeries can have medical malpractice where the repair itself is defective or there is damage to the bone or nearby structures when repairing it.
Cartilage Repair/Restoration: Various techniques are used to repair or regenerate damaged cartilage in the knee, such as microfracture, autologous chondrocyte implantation (ACI), or osteochondral autograft transplantation (OATS).
Lateral Release
Lateral release is a surgical procedure to correct patellar tracking issues. It involves releasing or realigning the tight ligaments on the outer side of the knee to prevent patellar mal-tracking.
Medical malpractice here includes errors in how the surgery is performed, accidently severing necessary structures, or causing infections.
Tendon Repair
Surgery may be required to repair damaged tendons in the knee, such as the patellar tendon or quadriceps tendon. These are critical structures that must be carefully maintained and repairs without causing damage to the structures there. Additionally, these tendons are very strong and have a lot of stress on them, so repairs can be complicated.
Medical malpractice involving this type of surgery often involves mistakes in repairing the tendon the proper way. That includes causing infections, which could extend to the muscle bellies of these major muscle groups and cause extreme damage – especially to the quads. Any type of damage to these tendons should be handled by an experienced medical malpractice lawyer in Oregon.
Osteotomy
In an osteotomy, the surgeon repositions the bones around the knee joint to redistribute weight-bearing forces. This procedure is often performed to address knee deformities or to relieve pain associated with conditions like osteoarthritis.
Medical malpractice in performing an osteotomy occurs when infections are caused or where the imbalance actually worsens and results in compensatory injuries. This means that other parts of the body are compensating for the damage caused by the procedure, and ultimately result in damage to other structures that were otherwise healthy.
Synovectomy
Synovectomy is the removal of the inflamed synovium, the lining of the knee joint, often done in cases of rheumatoid arthritis or other inflammatory conditions.
Medical malpractice involving a synovectomy is often due to infections, but also where damage is caused to otherwise healthy structures.
Were You or a Loved One Injured Due to Medical Errors? If You Are Still Having Problems After Knee Surgery and Medical Malpractice Lawyer is Who You Need, Call Us
If you or a loved one have been seriously injured or wrongfully killed as a result of medical malpractice contact the Oregon Medical Malpractice Lawyers at Kuhlman Law at our number below or fill out the intake form. We offer a free initial case evaluation and handle cases on a contingency fee which means that you pay no money unless we recover.
Our law firm handles cases throughout the state including Bend and Portland Oregon, Redmond, Central Oregon, Sisters, Madras, Multnomah County, Deschutes County, Salem, Eugene, Corvallis, Lane County, Medford, Gresham, La Grande, Albany, Medford, Beaverton, Umatilla, Pendleton, Cottage Grove, Florence, Oregon City, Springfield, Keizer, Grants Pass, McMinnville, Tualatin, West Linn, Forest Grove, Wilsonville, Newberg, Roseburg, Lake Oswego, Klamath Falls, Happy Valley, Tigard, Ashland, Milwakie, Coos Bay, The Dalles, St. Helens, Sherwood, Central Point, Canby, Troutdale, Hermiston, Silverton, Hood River, Newport, Prineville, Astoria, Tillamook, Lincoln City, Hillsboro, and Vancouver, Washington.
We also have an office in Minneapolis, Minnesota and take medical malpractice cases throughout the Twin Cities, including St. Paul, Hennepin County, Ramsey County, Dakota County, Washington County, Anoka County, Scott County, Blaine, Stillwater, and Saint Paul Minnesota.
