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As a patient, successfully making it through surgery is only half the battle. Even if your surgery itself appears to be successful, your healthcare provider is responsible for ensuring that you don’t develop post-operative complications. Complications following surgery can lead to a variety of serious conditions, including death. If your healthcare provider fails to provide with appropriate care following surgery, you may be entitled to financial compensation for medical malpractice. In this article, we discuss some common signs of post-surgical neglect.
Infection or Sepsis
A common sign of post-surgical neglect is infection. Infection can occur when bacteria enter the site of a surgery, and it can result in severe complications for the patient. If left untreated, an infection can prevent the site of surgery from healing, and this can result in a prolonged recovery process. Further, serious infections can spread throughout the body and become sepsis, which can be fatal. Therefore, it is imperative that medical professionals monitor surgical sites for infection following surgery, and the failure to do so may constitute post-surgical neglect.
Blood Clots
Another common sign of post-surgical neglect is the development of blood clots. A patient’s risk of developing blood clots increases after a surgical procedure. Given the prevalence of this risk, health care providers are required to take steps to prevent clots from forming after surgery, including helping patients perform light exercises during recovery to improve blood flow. In addition, health care providers may have patients wear compression stockings and take medications to prevent the formation of blood clots.
When doctors and other health care professionals fail to take such precautions, the risk of blood clots increases significantly, simultaneously increasing the risk for additional medical problems, include potentially fatal pulmonary embolisms. Therefore, it is imperative that health care providers take steps to prevent and address blood clots following surgery.
Hemorrhaging
An additional sign of post-surgical neglect is hemorrhaging at the site of the surgery. Hemorrhaging is the escape of blood from a ruptured vessel. This condition is extremely dangerous because extreme blood loss can lead to shock, organ failure, or even death. Given the serious risk of hemorrhaging after surgery, health care providers have a duty to check patients for signs of this condition and to provide prompt treatment when detected. Post-surgical treatments for surgery may include blood transfusions to fight blood loss and saline solution infusions to replace lost fluids. However, when health care providers fail to timely administer such treatments, patients often suffer serious consequences that may entitle them to significant financial compensation.
Contact a Long Island Medical Malpractice Lawyer
If you have suffered complications following surgery in New York, Dell & Dean, PLLC, is on your side. When you come to us for assistance following a medical malpractice incident, our experienced lawyers will put our significant experience to work for you, aggressively seeking financial compensation on your behalf. Please contact us to schedule a confidential consultation with an experienced medical malpractice lawyer.
