By Jim Lewis, Carolina Medical Malpractice Lawyer

I have handled numerous surgical error cases involving innocent victims who suffered serious side effects from a cut, perforated or nicked ureter or bowel. It’s a medical negligence injury that happens quite often and can have devastating consequences. If you or a loved one suffered this type of injury, you are probably looking for information on the topic. Here are some common questions I’ve been asked about cut and perforated bowels and ureters, along with answers.

What is a perforation?

A perforation is when a part of the body, like a ureter or bowel, has been cut or slit open. If the perforation is left untreated, it is a potentially life-threatening medical surgical error that may require corrective surgery to wash out the abdomen due to infection and risk of septic shock.

How is a perforated bowel or ureter treated?

Due to the serious complications of a cut, severed or perforated bowel or colon, surgeons might have to connect a colostomy bag that is positioned outside of the patient’s body. Treatment of a perforated ureter requires management of the infection that occurs from the opening, which is known as sepsis.

What are the symptoms of a cut or perforated bowel or ureter?

A patient whose bowel or ureter has been cut or nicked routinely suffers intense pain, fever or chills, nausea, dehydration, and a wide array of other abnormal symptoms. If the patient does not get the cut bowel or ureter fixed in a timely manner, the risk of death increases precipitously.

What types of procedures usually lead to a perforation injury?

Surgeries such as a colonoscopy, surgery to remove a polyp or mass in the bowel, and, in some cases, a hysterectomy. In any procedure where a surgeon is using a scalpel on your internal organs, a perforation or nick can occur.

The importance of being prepared

You need to be prepared, both before and after the surgery. Ask the surgeon how many procedures they’ve performed in the past. If you do not feel comfortable with the answer, always remember you can request the services of another surgeon. After the surgery, be on the lookout for the side effects listed above. The moment you notice these problems, contact your doctor and surgeon immediately in order to get it checked out.

Here is a video of me discussing cut and perforated ureters.

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About the Editors: Shapiro, Cooper Lewis & Appleton is a law firm whose Virginia/Carolina attorneys focus on injury and accident law and have experience handling medical malpractice cases involving hospital and doctor mistakes and nursing home abuse and neglect. Check out our case results to see for yourself. Though not every case meets our criteria, we offer free initial consultations. Give us a call at (800) 752-0042. If you can’t get through due to high call volume, leave a message so we can return your call. Also be sure to check out our free special report Top 10 Tips From a Medical Malpractice Insider. Our primary office is in Virginia Beach, Virginia (VA), but we also have offices in Hampton, VA, and Elizabeth City, North Carolina (NC). Our lawyers hold licenses in VA, NC, South Carolina (SC), West Virginia (WV), Kentucky (KY), Florida (FL) and Washington, DC. Rick Shapiro and James Lewis were included in the 2011 issue of Best Lawyers in America. They, along with fellow attorney John M. Cooper, were also named 2011 Virginia Super Lawyers for Personal Injury Law, an honor which fewer than 5 percent of outstanding lawyers receive. We also host an extensive injury law video library on Youtube. Further, our lawyers proudly edit the Virginia Beach Injuryboard, Norfolk Injuryboard and Northeast North Carolina Injuryboard blogs as pro bono public information services.