A Surgical Wound Infection May Be Grounds for a Lawsuit

Surgical mistakes are much more common than most of us realize, and, in fact, surgical mistakes are one of the leading causes of preventable death in the United States. Surgical wound infections happen quite often in hospitals, and there is very little way in which to protect yourself. As many as 5-10% of patients admitted to acute care hospitals and long-term care facilities in the United States will develop a hospital-acquired infection--a total of over one million people. 

Are Wound Infections Preventable?

Approximately 36% of surgical wound infections are judged to be preventable if all healthcare workers operated under the strict guidelines set out  for patient care. Most people who are in the hospital undergoing surgery already suffer from compromised immunity, so when they are exposed to bacteria or other germs, their bodies are unable to fight off the infection. 

Types of Infections

Hospital-acquired infections can be caused by bacteria, viruses, fungi or parasites which may already be present in the patient's body, or could come from contaminated hospital equipment, health care workers or other patients. An infection can start anywhere in the body, but if a wound to a specific body part becomes infected, it will get red, hot and painful. A general infection, on the other hand, enters the bloodstream and causes fever, chills, low blood pressure and mental confusion and can lead to sepsis--also known as blood poisoning--and result in death. Catheters are routinely inserted before surgery of any type, and can cause infections in and of themselves as can tubes in the nose, mouth or blood vessels. 

Increased Risk of Acquiring Infections

Your risk of acquiring a surgical wound infection go up when any of the following are present:

• A prolonged hospital stay
• Compromised nutritional or immune status
• Failure of health care workers to wash their hands between patients or before procedures
• Antibiotic resistant bacteria due to the overuse of antibiotics

Invasive surgical procedures greatly increase your risk of acquiring a surgical wound infection as they give bacteria an open route into parts of the body which normally remain sterile. Following surgery your wound may become infected from the hands of health-care workers who change the dressing, or from contaminated dressings themselves. Wounds caused by trauma, burns or pressure sores due to prolonged wheelchair use are also easily infected. 

Hospital Negligence Lawsuit

If you believe your surgical wound infection was a direct result of health-care worker, doctor or hospital negligence, or failure to follow prescribed guidelines, you should contact a medical malpractice lawyer who has extensive experience in the field along with the information necessary to determine whether you have sufficient grounds to sue and collect damages for your surgical wound infection.