Atlee Hall recently resolved a case involving a serious complications to a common surgeries caused by a surgeon failing to follow established safety procedures.

Nearly 1 million Americans get their gallbladders removed every year. It is one of the most common surgeries in the United States. Most gallbladders are removed because gallstones cause symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, or even jaundice. But just because it’s a common surgery, one that many surgeons perform regularly, does not mean it’s “routine.”

The gallbladder is connected to a tree-like system of ducts which carry bile from the liver to the small intestine and store overflow in the gallbladder. Surgeons are not supposed to cut a duct until they have identified exactly which duct it is.

Our client, Diane, sought medical care after experiencing abdominal pain, and an ultrasound confirmed she had gallstones. She was reassured that her gallbladder removal procedure would be performed by a highly experienced surgeon at the hospital. However, despite the surgeon’s credentials, Diane’s surgery took a devastating turn when the wrong duct was cut, leading to severe complications.

Why This Case Matters

Surgeons rely on a technique called the “critical view of safety” to correctly identify the cystic duct before cutting. This method, when properly executed, minimizes the risk of misidentification. However, studies suggest that many surgeons claim to follow this protocol while, in reality, they do not. In Diane’s case, her surgeon failed to accurately identify the duct before making an incision. Instead of cutting the cystic duct as intended, the surgeon mistakenly cut the common bile duct, which is a critical pathway for bile to move from the liver to the intestines.