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Surgical aftercare is a critical aspect of the surgery process. Your body needs time to heal and repair itself after an invasive procedure. Without proper aftercare treatment and monitoring, a routine surgical procedure can turn into a medical nightmare if you contract an infection or post-operative illness.
Are infections after surgery typical, or can they be a sign of something more disastrous, such as medical negligence? Although not all infections are caused by the careless actions of medical practitioners or healthcare facilities, in many cases, post-surgical infections result from a substandard level of surgical or post-surgical medical care that can compromise a patient’s health and safety.
What Are Post-Surgical Infections?
A post-surgical infection, also called a surgical site infection, can occur in the days following a surgical procedure. An infection occurs when bacteria or other microorganisms enter a wound and multiply, causing inflammation. Surgical site infections can occur on the skin, internal tissues, organs, and implanted surgical materials, like mesh or a knee replacement implant.
Some of the most common signs of post-surgical infection include:
- Redness at the surgical site
- Pain
- Swelling
- Fever
- Pus or oozing of the surgical site wound
Some statistics indicate the chances of developing a surgical site infection are between one and three percent. Most infections are caused by bacteria like Staphylococcus, Streptococcus, and Pseudomonas. Surgical site infections can slow wound healing and cause other significant complications. In severe cases, the infection can fester and spread, leading to organ failure, tissue death, necrosis, and potentially sepsis and death.
Are Infections After Surgery a Sign of Medical Negligence?
Post-surgery infections can be a sign of medical negligence in some instances. Infections are more likely to occur when surgical wounds are not properly cleaned and treated or when the wound gets contaminated by bacteria from the touch of a contaminated caregiver or surgical instrument. Most post-surgical infections happen when:
- Surgical tools are not adequately sterilized
- Surgeons, nurses, and other medical staff do not follow disinfection protocols
- The operating room or air filtration systems are not correctly maintained or sterilized
- Medical staff did not adequately disinfect the surgical site before surgery
- Doctors, nurses, or medical staff do not follow proper wound care or treatment protocols
- The patient was not instructed on proper wound care protocol before release
Deviating from the medically accepted standard of care and wound care protocol can endanger a patient and cause infections and other significant medical complications after surgery. When a medical provider or healthcare facility fails to prevent, recognize, or treat surgical site infections, it may be a sign of medical negligence and time to involve an experienced medical malpractice attorney. A seasoned malpractice attorney can help you explore your options for recovering compensation for your injuries and financial losses.
Unfortunately, post-surgical infections can delay recovery, result in poor healthcare outcomes, and result in higher healthcare costs for patients. If medical negligence is to blame for a surgical site infection, you deserve to pursue fair compensation for your losses.
Seek Legal Advice from an Experienced Medical Malpractice Attorney
Proving medical negligence can feel like an uphill battle. Do not take on the challenge alone. At Nagel Rice, our knowledgeable medical malpractice attorneys can evaluate your situation and explain your legal rights and options for pursuing compensation. You could obtain money for the medical expenses required to treat your post-surgical infection, lost income you missed out on because you had to stay off work for treatment, and the pain and suffering you endured because of the malpractice.
We have an impressive track record of helping patients recover the compensation they deserve and holding negligent medical providers accountable for their actions. If you suspect medical negligence caused your post-surgical infection, contact Nagel Rice today and arrange a confidential case review.