Types of Surgical Infections

Types of surgical infections (SSI) surgical site infections

Modern medicine has made great strides in saving people’s lives. Yet as of 2007 approximately 1.4 million patients developed a surgical infection of some severity which contributed to 99,000 deaths each year from outpatient or hospital associated infections.

Even in a sterile hospital setting, bacteria run amuck.

Infections are hospital or medical treatment induced if they appear 48 hours or more after hospital admission or within 30 days after discharge. If the surgical infection is caused by an implanted medical device or prosthesis then the window of infection is to one year.

A patient can develop an infection in any part of the body, but the most common infection areas are the urinary tract, respiratory tract, and bloodstream, also known as septicemia.

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Some patients develop surgical infections because their surgical incision is contaminated. Contamination can happen from dirty hands as well as bacteria carrying IV lines, catheters, and hospital instruments.

Infection from colonoscopy

The colonoscopy is a relatively common and safe procedure except when it’s not. About six years ago, 200 people at a Pennsylvania hospital were notified that during their colonoscopies which spanned a four month period, the colonoscopes were improperly cleaned putting them at risk for hepatitis and HIV infections. Colonoscopes are flexible tubes used to examine rectums and large intestines. Similar mistakes also happened in New York and California.

Infection after colon cancer surgery

Many types of bacteria inhabit the colon or large intestine which poses risks for people having color cancer surgery. Bacteria can contaminate the incision on the skin or the abdominal organs or cavity. Infection is also dependent on whether or not the doctor uses minimally invasive techniques through laparoscopic surgery or open surgery.

Infection after appendectomy

Risk of infection is common after an appendectomy. The risk is greater if your appendix is ruptured. Pus is a sign of infection. If your appendix incision bleeds, produces fluids or pus; this is a sign of infection requiring emergency treatment. Blood poisoning happens when untreated bacterial infection enters the blood stream. Blood poisoning or septicemia symptoms include the sudden onset of nausea, fever, chills, disorientation, and rapid heart rate.

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Has your loved one suffered a fatal surgical infection? Are you at a loss for how to proceed? Please contact the Pennsylvania law firm, Monheit Law, to find out what your legal options are for filing a medical malpractice lawsuit.