This is because there are already germs on your body, in the air, on a surgical instrument, on someone who touches you or through germs spread into the wound.
Our skin is a natural barrier against infection and any surgery that breaks the skin can lead to an infection. Doctors call these infections surgical site infections (SSI) because of where the surgery took place. The chances of developing an SSI are about 1% to 3%.
However, medical malpractice occurs, not because the infection happened, but due to negligence in treating the infection.
MEDICAL MALPRACTICE IN TREATING AN INFECTION TYPICALLY OCCURS DUE TO:
- Failing to timely diagnose an infection
- Failing to return the phone calls of a patient or family member making complaints consistent with an infection
- Failing to realize the importance of fever, warmth, delayed healing, worsening pain or redness
- Failing to timely perform order blood, urine, and wound cultures
- Failing to inspect a surgical site
- Failing to order an MRI, Ultrasound, or CT scan
- Failing to timely prescribe antibiotics
- Failing to timely prescribe the proper antibiotics
- Failing to ask for an Infectious Disease Consult
SOME PEOPLE ARE AT AN INCREASED RISK OF INFECTION INCLUDING:
- Having surgery that lasts more than 2 hours
- Having other medical problems or diseases including diabetes or cancer
- Being elderly
- Being overweight
- Having a weakened immune system
- Having emergency surgery
- Having abdominal surgery
- Being a smoker
Therefore, any patient with an increased risk of infection must be even more closely monitored and treated.
Here at Lebson Tangredi we have treated hundreds of infection cases. Remember, infections happen, it’s the care you receive afterward that matters most!