The dangers of post-operative sepsis

On Behalf of | Dec 12, 2014 | Surgical Errors

New Mexico residents may seldom expect loved ones to suffer life-threatening complications while under a doctor’s care. However, government studies show that bacterial blood infections, or sepsis, could pose a serious threat to your loved one’s post-operative health and well-being. A sepsis infection can cause organ failure, brain damage or even death when not diagnosed or treated promptly.

Although some patients may already have contracted sepsis prior to seeking medical treatment, a sepsis infection is acquired by many during a hospital stay and is seemingly unrelated to the original medical concern. Surgical patients and patients receiving treatment for serious cuts may be susceptible to this dangerous blood infection. Those undergoing treatment for abdomen and gallbladder infections, lung infections, and infections of the urinary system may also be at risk.

Regardless of precipitating conditions, it is important to recognize that sepsis can spread rapidly throughout the body. Recovery is possible for patients who are diagnosed and treated early enough after onset. However, if your loved one developed sepsis, and diagnosis or treatment was delayed, you may have been shocked to see how quickly that individual’s organs began to fail and brain damage began to occur. If you lost your loved one as a result, you know only too well how essential early diagnosis and aggressive treatment of this bacterial blood infection may be.

If your loved one survived, you may still have questions regarding whether anything could have been done differently to avoid brain or organ damage. Our attorneys are well-versed in the dangers of surgical infection and may be able to provide the answers you are seeking. For more information, please visit our page regarding what you can do in the event of a failure to recognize postoperative complications by a health care professional.

Source: Law Offices of Salazar, Sullivan & Jasionowski, “Albuquerque Surgical Infection Lawyer“, December 10, 2014

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