One of the earliest first-aid lessons that everyone learns from their mother is that when you cut yourself, you need to clean the wound and put on a Band-Aid to avoid an infection. That sage advice sticks with us through every minor cut and scrap. However, there are some medical procedures where the cut or incision is cared for by various health professionals. If they fail to follow protocols, it could lead to a post-operative infection.
How common are post-operative infections? According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there were 110,800 reported surgical site infections (SSIs), which is on the rise. A healthcare-associated infection (HAI) is estimated to generate $3.3 billion in additional costs for patients and hospitals. It can also extend a hospital stay after surgery by as much as 9.7 days.
If it can be established that negligence played a role in an infection, that could be grounds for filing a medical malpractice claim. When you go in for any surgical procedure, you’ll be warned about the risk of post-op infections, but it is crucial to understand how an infection can occur and who might be responsible.
Types of Surgical Site Infections
Our skin is a barrier against infection. When the skin is “breached,” germs can enter your blood system. Johns Hopkins Medicine breaks down the three basic types of surgical infections:
“Superficial incisional SSI: This infection occurs just in the area of the skin where the incision was made.
Deep incisional SSI: This infection occurs beneath the incision area in muscle and the tissues surrounding the muscles.
Organ or space SSI: This type of infection can be in any area of the body other than skin, muscle, and surrounding tissue that was involved in the surgery. This includes a body organ or a space between organs.”
When an infection occurs, doctors might take a culture sample to determine the specific type of germ involved in order to prescribe the proper course of treatment. Sepsis and septic shock can lead to tissue damage, organ failure, or death. This infection can derive from contact with Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA). It is a common germ found in hospitals when the staff does not comply with health guidelines.
Infections After Surgery Can Be a Case of Medical Negligence
It only takes one overlooked safety protocol for an infection to take hold. Although that might not be intentional, it could be considered a case of negligence. SSIs occur when the following safety protocols are not followed:
- Surgical tools are not adequately sterilized
- Surgeons, nurses, and other medical staff do not follow disinfection protocols
- The operating room or procedure room is not consistently sterilized
- Air filtration systems are not maintained
- The surgical staff did not adequately disinfect the surgery site before surgery
- Doctors, nurses, or medical staff do not follow proper post-surgery wound care
- The patient was not informed about proper wound care
If you or someone in your family had to endure an infection, it is essential that you document what happened and how it impacted your recovery. That includes taking photos of the infection, keeping a journal of its progress, and adding medical expenses.
Seeking Legal Advice from an Experienced Medical Malpractice Attorney
It will be extremely challenging to trace the source of an infection to one individual. That is why an experienced medical malpractice attorney might recommend naming the entire surgical team or the hospital as the at-fault parties in a medical malpractice lawsuit.
Folkman Law has dealt with these types of malpractice claims. If we decide to take on the case, we’ll help collect the relevant evidence and proceed to obtain a certificate of merit from a licensed healthcare provider. This is the kind of situation where you need to move swiftly to resolve the matter and get back to feeling better.
