Hospital Infections after Surgery

Spending time in a hospital is unpleasant enough for the patient, but most often, they also have to deal with the risk of acquiring complications.  Among the most common hospital-acquired infections, are infections after a surgery. The RI hospital infection lawyers from d’Oliveira & Associates want you to be aware of the many risk factors.

Infections After Surgeries Occur Due to the Following Risk Factors:

• Failure to obtain the medical history and condition of the patient;
• Failure to give antibiotics before the surgery begins;
• Improper shaving and preparation of the surgical site;
• Use of invasive devices;
• Poorly maintained facilities;
• Contaminated devices used during the surgery;
• Prevalence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria from the overuse of antibiotics to heal the wound;
• Improper hygiene and sanitation of the staff;
• Improper dressing or drainage of the wounds; and
• Failure of the doctor to explain how you should take care of your wound.

Fever is the most common first sign of infection. In surgical site infections (SSIs), infections develop in the part of the body where the surgery took place. The wound becomes reddish, swells and excretes cloudy fluid. It may also feel too hot or too painful to touch.

Infections create a lot of added burden to a patient. Aside from financial burden, the patient’s health, ability to work and even life are at stake. In fact, surgical site infections are among the major sources of morbidity in the United States.

The hospital and its staff are required to maintain a certain standard of care and observe safety measures in providing health care services, including the performance of surgeries. Absent the requisite standard care, the hospital may be held liable for the damages caused to the patient. If you or a loved one suffered any infection or complication from a surgery, you have the right to seek compensation for the neglect and malpractice of the hospital in performing the operation. Contact a RI medical negligence attorney now.

If you believe that you or one of your loved ones have contracted a healthcare-associated infection, you may want to speak with a personal injury attorney regarding a potential claim. An injury lawyer familiar with new developments in the investigation of healthcare-associated infection may be able to help you make important personal and legal decisions. d’Oliveira & Associates is working with some of the leading lawyers in the country who are handling these cases.

Please contact the Law Offices of d’Oliveira & Associates at 1-800-992-6878 or fill out a contact form for a free legal consultation.