Murtha (see below) death was surgeon slip-up

[cbelt3]

I'm not buying that it's a 'common problem'. While post surgical infection IS relatively common, dying from it is less common. Carelessness or error during surgery, especially in the guts, can cause a huge wash of infection into the site that can be called 'post surgical infection' but it a lot more than 'oopsie, something slipped in there'.

Lots of people have gall bladder surgery and do just fine afterwards.

I just wonder if this is a side effect of the level of care problem at US Military hospitals (think VA, although it's a different branch)