An estimated 98,000 hospital patients are killed every year, according to the Institute of Medicine, as a direct result of medical malpractice. .

There are numerous circumstances that may arise while on the operating room table that may lead to a faulty surgical performance or flawed surgical performance. Below are following examples of surgical errors:

1. Use of unsterile surgical instruments
2. Incorrect incision
3. Organ puncture or perforation
4. Surgery on wrong organ, wrong site surgery or wrong side surgery
5. Delayed surgery
6. Prolonged surgery

Surgical errors may occur in any kind of medical procedure involving surgery. Even the simplest of cosmetic surgical procedures may result in a surgical error. Following are the most common types of surgeries where surgical errors occur:

1. Gastric Bypass
2. Childbirth via C-Section
3. Cardiothoracic
4. Thoracic Surgery
5. Laparoscopic Intestinal Surgery
6. Plastic Surgery/Cosmetic Surgery

Here are several cosmetic surgical procedures where the medical malpractice of surgical errors may occur:

1.  Otoplasty - Ear Surgery
2.  Rhytidectomy - Face Lift
3.  Rhinoplasty - Nasal Surgery
4.  Breast Augmentation
5.  Liposuction