http://www.cnn.com/2016/03/23/health/yale-doctor-lawsuit/index.html
http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-surgeon-removed-wrong-kidney-20141204-story.html
http://www.nytimes.com/1995/09/17/us/doctor-who-cut-off-wrong-leg-is-defended-by-colleagues.html
http://abcnews.go.com/US/doctor-operates-wrong-eye-boy/story?id=13409553
http://www.newser.com/story/185456/pregnant-woman-died-after-wrong-organ-removed.html
Doctors don’t have common sense?
Some patients use markers to write on themselves “this leg” (or whatever) and “not this leg, the other one”.
Marking the area for surgery I believe is now pretty commonplace. They also confirm with the patient and have them sign off on it. Some of the articles linked above are pretty old.
How do people mark the uterus or the appendix?
There is only one. It’s not like they will take out the wrong uterus.
^ I mean, some people are born with two uteruses (uteri?) but that’s a whole different story…
But really, unfortunately mistakes do happen especially when there are millions of surgeries every year. I’m not saying it’s right or excusable, but statistically it will happen.
I’ve had several surgeries and always have to sign off on multiple things and confirm several times that “x” needs to be removed.
Off topic a bit – here’s a surgeon joke for ya:
Three surgeons in a bar. Doc Tom says, “Who’s your favorite kind of patient? Because I like to operate on librarians. Their organs are organized alphabetically.”
Doc Dick says, “I prefer accountants. Their organs are numbered.”
Doc Harry says, “Nah… the easiest are politicians.There’s no guts, no heart, no balls, no brains and no spine, and the head and the ass are interchangeable.”
:))
(Sorry. I couldn’t resist.)
And along the same line, my DS had at shirt that said “your proctologist called. They found your head”.
“Some patients use markers to write on themselves “this leg” (or whatever) and “not this leg, the other one”.”
Yup. The nurse asked Mr. B several times if the right knee was the “right” knee. Then she marked it with a Sharpie. No one asked him anything when his appendix needed to be removed, so I guess no sharpies were involved. 
I worked with a guy many years ago who was young and his mother was still in her late 30’s. She underwent surgery to have her tubes tied and the surgeon tied her ureters instead. The error was caught after she failed to urinate for several days. She almost died. There was a lawsuit…
I really feel for the patient in this story. What a nightmare. This was a failure by several people, not just the surgeon.
We asked the surgeon about this when D had knee surgery. He said the hospital protocol was to go over the correct procedure before the patient was put under so everyone could corroborate what was being done. Sharpies were used, but never “x”, since that could be interpreted the wrong way, and never the word “no”, since that reads as “on” upside down.
It has two Fallopian tubes. 
I think the risk of error is negligible. However, I have used markers on myself pre-surgery. When a third incision was needed in the same location I wrote, “Insert zipper here” just above the old scar. Another time I wrote, “No cutting above the dotted line.” Several other spots have gotten smiley faces near the correct area (I’m careful not to draw over the actual incision site.)
So far no errors made by surgeons, although I did have trouble with one nurse years ago. When I told her I wasn’t in for the procedure she mentioned she argued with me that I was too young for the surgery I required. I suggested she tell my doctor.
Yale needs to clean up their act!
My surgeon signed his initials on the correct arm in pre op. I was asked a zillion times. Everyone in the OR had to say which side as well. Most orthopedic dr’s have a process nowadays.
H had orthopedic surgery twice in the last two years. Both times there numerous confirmations that the site was the correct site, initials, sharpie labeling, etc.
I took a sharpie and wrote, "ENTER HERE ==> " before my colonoscopy.
( I guess that joke would be funnier if I was female… wouldn’t it?)
No, just kidding! We were just talking about this the other day, and my friend - who had a knee replaced - was quite annoyed because after they gave him some preliminary anasthesia they repeatedly asked him to confirm they had the correct knee and he was already groggy and not thinking clearly.
I just had a ventral hernia repair done, and the surgeon himself marked it, after palpating me. Every nurse I saw also confirmed, and once I got into the OR, the OR nurse double-checked that the marked site was correct.
The pre-op literature said that the surgery site would be marked, and if it wasn’t, I should request it.
This is why it’s good to have someone with you in pre-op. My DH stayed with me literally until I was wheeled off to the operating room, and would have been able to answer questions if I hadn’t.
LOL @ “Enter here ---->.” Good one.
@coolweather Immediately before my hysterectomy, my surgeon asked me to tell the surgical team what procedure was being done and what organs were being removed. Then they administered the anesthesia. i think she said it was in accordance with recommendations of the World Health Organization, but since I was unconscious moments later, my memory may not be 100% accurate!
When a patient has a hysterectomy, there is the possibility that there is removal of the uterus, cervix, fallopian tubes, and/or one or both ovaries. Sometimes the patient’s request is that organs are left unless the surgeon discovers something. The entire surgical team needs to know the wishes of the patient so there is no misunderstanding.
They removed the correct organs! Well, that’s what they told me. 