TITLE:
Errors in Surgical Site Identification during Cutaneous Surgery for Skin Cancer: Review and Recommendations
AUTHORS:
Sharad P. Paul
KEYWORDS:
Skin Cancer, Medical Error, Patient Safety, Dermatology, Wrong Site Surgery, Melanoma
JOURNAL NAME:
Surgical Science,
Vol.6 No.7,
July
22,
2015
ABSTRACT: Surgical error due to
incorrect identification of the surgical site has been known to occur right
from the beginning of surgical practice through the ages. However, increasing
awareness, preventative efforts and risks of litigation have not eliminated
this problem. Cutaneous surgery for skin cancer makes up a large proportion of
procedures performed each year and it is often difficult to correctly identify
biopsy sites, especially as this is not easy in sun-damaged skin. In this
review article, we review the incidence of wrong-site surgery, measures taken
by professional bodies, and the use of photography and newer technologies in an
attempt to eliminate this distressing event in the field of plastic and
dermatologic surgery. The purpose of this review is to highlight the incidence
of such surgical site identification errors, evaluate the risk factors, and
educate the surgeon about measures that can be undertaken to avoid being faced
with such a situation.