Surgical Site Infections (SSI)

Medical Malpractice Lawyer in Houston, TX

Surgical Site Infections or SSIs occur when the skin is broken or ruptured during surgery. Some SSIs are superficial involving only the top layers of skin; while others are more serious involving muscle and nerve tissue, organs, or implanted products, such as the DePuy hip i mplant or the Zimmer Durom cup- hip implant. On average, patients in the United States who develop an SSI will remain in the hospital for at least another week, at an average of $25,000 added to their medical bill. Additional economic burden is usually of least concern to patients affected by SSIs. Infections incurred during surgery and as a result of substandard aftercare, cause increased and prolonged suffering, shock, delayed healing and even death. Most SSIs are preventable.

Any Break of a Patient's Skin Can Lead to an Infection

Maintaining a safe surgical environment during and after surgery is the duty of medical professionals and healthcare facilities. If you or a loved one has suffered severe injury or death due to a surgical infection, you may be eligible to recover damages for your losses. You owe it to yourself to consult a competent, caring Houston personal injury attorney who will help you obtain the compensation you deserve in your medical malpractice case.

Causes and Consequences of Surgical Site Infections

Anyone who has surgery is exposed to infection as soon as the incision is made. Some of the common ways a doctor increases a patient's risk of infection during a surgery include:

• Failure to seal the incision both internally and on the skin surface
• Complications from surgical hypothermia, as it is used during heart surgery
• Contamination of the incision area by skin bacteria or fungus
• Bacterial contamination from other areas of the body during surgery
• Contamination from unsterilized surgical instruments

The dangers associated with surgical infections vary greatly depending on the infected area. The risk of infection during surgery to remove a bone spur on the foot may only involve the extremity, while a vital organ or an entire system of the body will be affected during a heart bypass operation. However, both have serious consequences when infection sets in. Complications due to infection of a surgical site can lead to fever, intense pain, scarring or disfigurement, paralysis, even death.

If you or a loved one has suffered medical malpractice due to a surgical site infection, you may be eligible to compensation for your physical, emotional and monetary losses. Contact a Houston medical malpractice attorney at our firm today.