Compensation for Negligent Surgical Site Infection
A surgical site infection can be life-changing. If this is due to medical negligence, it may be appropriate to make a claim for compensation.
Surgery and infections
Developing a serious infection following surgery can impact severely on the patient in both the short and long-term. In the first instance, it may require the patient to remain in hospital for far longer than anticipated whilst their infection is resolved. In the longer term, it may cause the patient to suffer on-going physical and psychological symptoms. It may even cause the patient to die.
Surgical site infections can develop when a patient's skin is cut during the process of surgery. A cut to the skin can allow bacteria to access the tissue inside the body where it can cause significant problems.
Surgical site infections can develop following a wide range of surgical procedures including the following:
- Hip replacement
- Knee replacement
- Hysterectomy
- Caesarean section
- Abdominal surgery such as a patient might undergo for Crohn's disease
- Colorectal surgery
- Surgery for breast cancer
Preventing and managing surgical site infections
A severe infection, especially one which has commenced in the abdominal region or the chest, can cause the patient's condition to deteriorate further as they develop sepsis, an immune system over-response to infection.
Sepsis is a life-threatening condition which can cause multiple organ failure and, even when the patient survives, their quality of life may be significantly impacted.
NICE guidelines exist regarding the provision of healthcare before, during and following surgical procedures specifically to try to prevent the patient from succumbing to a surgical site infection.
Patients who are due to undergo surgery should be assessed for their degree of risk of infection and managed accordingly. On-going monitoring is necessary to ensure that the earliest signs of infection are identified and treated. Patients who belong to an 'at-risk' category, such as the elderly and patients who already suffer with diabetes, should receive particularly close scrutiny and care.
Medical negligence
If a patient develops a surgical site infection due to the failings of medical professionals to assess and manage their care appropriately may be regarded as having provided substandard care.
If the patient suffers significant long-term problems as a result, it might be appropriate to make a claim for compensation.
.Speak to a solicitor
If you or a loved one are struggling with the on-going impact of a surgical site infection due to a failing in medical care, contact Glynns today to talk to a specialist medical negligence solicitor about your situation and the suitability of making a compensation claim.
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