That's Fit

Anybody remember the episode of Seinfeld where Kramer is observing a surgery and drops a Junior Mint into the guy's body cavity? It was funny because it was so obviously outlandish -- of course doctors would notice if something was left in the body that shouldn't be there. Of course they would remove it before sewing the body shut, right?

Perhaps not.

Medical litter has become a major problem, with 72 deaths and 4675 injuries occurring due to "unretrieved device fragments" known as UDFs. Most often the problem has to do with wire guides for catheters used for heart operations -- they can break or fracture and the device (or fragments) are left behind. Bone screws are a problem as well, but there are other, less common issues, such as needles and scalpel blades being left behind. And often, even if the doctor is aware of the problem, the patient is not informed.

It's important that, as a patient, you are as involved as possible in your recovery from surgery. Before surgery, ask your doctor about any possible complications of the procedure as well as the devices, and after surgery, ask if anything was left behind. Medical litter can lead to discomfort, illness, severe injury, and death -- it's not worth being polite and assuming everyone did their job. It's your health -- you're always allowed to ask questions.