I am sorry to hear about your infection after surgery. Normally surgery and the recovery period afterwards can be stressful enough, but to add an infection to that can make a bad situation even worse.
If doctors and other medical professionals do not take the necessary actions to prevent the spread of infections during and after surgery, the lives of patients can be placed at serious risk. Infections after surgery are on the rise in the U.S., most likely because of the increasing numbers of strains of drug resistant bacteria.
Some experts say that about 200 people in the U.S. die every day because of an infection after surgery. Fortunately, there is an increasing awareness about the issue, and many hospitals are putting more procedures in place to help prevent infections. Many infections occur because of negligence on the part of the hospital, doctor, or other medical personnel. The tools may not have been properly sterilized, the hospital environment may have been contaminated, or patients may have been sent home from the hospital without being properly examined.
Often, the hospital and the doctor may have done everything correctly and the patient still got an infection. If a patient gets an infection, normally the patient can make a full recovery if it is treated quickly. If the doctor fails to quickly diagnose the infection, the patient could have very serious complications like shock or death.
If you have developed an infection after surgery, you should speak with an attorney. You may be able to hold the hospital and/or the doctor liable for your injuries. If you are in southern California, call me, Conal Doyle, Los Angeles medical malpractice attorney at 310-385-0567. I can help. Call today to learn more or to schedule a free consultation.