Florida Medical Malpractice Laws And Negligent Post-Operative Care

While surgery is certainly a delicate process, a patient recovering in a post-operative setting is also in a fragile state even after the medical procedure is completed. Members of the medical staff must remain diligent during this stage, monitoring the individual’s vital signs and other indicators to ensure there are no complications. A particular concern is the development of postoperative sepsis, which the National Institutes of Health (NIH) reports is on the rise. In a study of surgery discharges over a 16-year period, researchers discovered that instances of post-op sepsis rose from .67 to 1.74 percent – while discharges involving severe sepsis spiked from .22 to 1.2 percent.

Post-operative infections are preventable, but severe harm can result when health care providers make critical mistakes. You should speak to a Florida surgical errors and malpractice attorney about your specific circumstances, and read on for some general information regarding your rights. 

Negligence in Post-Operative Care: Many medical procedures are both invasive and complicated, which is why it takes an entire medical team to ensure proper care before, during, and after surgery. Unfortunately, some health care providers may let their guard down once the operation is complete, assuming that certain risks have passed. Infection, specifically sepsis, is the biggest threat to a patient who is already vulnerable after undergoing an intrusive surgery. 

Serious Patient Harm from Post-Surgery Errors: Some post-surgery complications arise through lack of attention when monitoring, checking vitals, or reviewing the patient’s medical history. Others are specific errors that indicate negligence by the post-op medical team. Examples of the consequences include:

• Postoperative Sepsis: Sepsis is the human body’s extreme reaction to infection, which a patient may contract through unsterile equipment, unsanitary conditions in the operating room, or botched sutures. Sepsis poisons the blood, triggering a chain reaction that can lead to organ failure, tissue damage, septic shock, and even death.
• Improper Extubation: A patient will often be intubated during a procedure, since general anesthesia relaxes the lungs to the point that respiratory function ceases. Once the surgery is over, medical staff must take proper precautions to ensure the patient is ready to have the tube removed and breathe independently. If not, oxygen level and heart rate may drop to dangerous levels, at times forcing health care providers to re-intubate.
• Post-Surgery Bleeding: It is common that some blood will seep from the incision, but improper sutures could lead to excessive bleeding that could become serious. Internal bleeding can also develop after a medical procedure, resulting in life-threatening medical conditions if not addressed. 

Trust a Florida Surgery Malpractice Lawyer to Fight for Your Rights 

If you have concerns about post-operative care or infection after a medical procedure, it is essential to speak with an experienced Miami medical malpractice lawyer who can explain your rights. Our team at Freidin Brown, P.A. will fight to ensure you obtain the compensation you deserve for your losses, so please contact our offices today. We can schedule a no-cost case evaluation to discuss your remedies and next steps.

Resource:

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2846560/#:~:text=The%20incidence%20of%20postoperative%20sepsis,no%20significant%20change%20over%20time