If you go to the hospital for surgery, your surgeon may use a permanent marker to make certain marks on your skin. In some cases, surgeons will write their own initials, while in others, they may draw an X or other lines around the area where the surgery will be performed.
If you have never gone through this process before, you may find yourself wondering why your surgeon would do this. What is the goal of marking your skin before the procedure? Is it really necessary?
Reducing the prevalence of wrong-site surgery
The primary reason many surgeons do this is to avoid medical malpractice in the form of wrong-site surgery. By marking the patient in advance, they can confirm the procedure with the patient and ensure everyone is on the same page. During the surgery, the marks serve as a concrete reminder of the specific site for the operation.
For instance, suppose you are at the hospital for knee surgery. If the surgeon mistakenly marks your left knee when you came in for surgery on your right knee, you might notice the error and have a chance to correct it before the operation begins. Conversely, if the correct knee is marked, it serves as confirmation, and the surgeon can double-check it during the procedure—even while you are under anesthesia and unable to communicate.
Despite this system, wrong-site surgery can still occur. Surgeons may mistakenly operate on the wrong patient, the wrong body part or the wrong side of a person’s body. If this happens to you, it may constitute medical malpractice, and you need to know what legal steps to take.
