Recently, the Philadelphia Inquirer reported that an inordinate amount of infections were contracted by patients of open-heart surgery at two local hospitals.
In the article, Penn State Hershey Medical Center admitted that they were contacting over 2,300 patients who they feared could be exposed to infections during open-heart surgery. It is believed that the infections were caused by circulating water being aerosolized through an exhaust vent of heater coils used on the bypass machine during surgery.
Infections in hospitals are all too common. Unfortunately, infections are often caused by poor oversight and hospitals not following procedures to ensure that their patients are not at undue risks for infections. The last thing any patient wants when they go to the hospital is to become sicker. These infections can be caused by defective products, poor administrative oversights, or human error where doctors and staff simply skip safety precautions and put patients at risk.
Along with being unnecessarily common, these infections are also complicated cases to litigate. It is often difficult to identify the cause of the infection and identify the responsible party. Whether it be a faulty product, human error, or an oversight on the hospital’s part, it is important to have a law firm experienced and committed in investigating complicated medical malpractice cases.
If you have a medical malpractice case, whether complicated or straightforward, you need to contact an experienced attorney. For a free consultation contact ThePhillyLawyers.
