Iatrogenic instrumentation-induced plastic surgical referrals.

ABSTRACT

Iatrogenic instrument-induced injuries are presented. Most mistakes or accidents are preventable. Some are trivial and do not come to the patient's attention, while others can cause injury resulting in pain, disfigurement, prolonged hospitalization, and possibly even death. The major strides made in the field of surgery to today's level of sophistication are to a large extent the result of vast technological advancements that have been made. It behooves the user of this surgical equipment to follow the simplest precautionary rules of operation and to be completely au fait with the workings of the equipment. In this way, many injuries can be prevented. In many cases, the surgeon must bear the ultimate responsibility for injury.