Snyder and Snyder's team of experienced medical malpractice attorneys have discovered a shocking problem with contaminated surgical implements. According to a report by the Center for Public Integrity (CPI), the pervasiveness of this issue goes from scrub techs, to doctors and hospitals; even all the way up to manufacturers and oversight organizations such as the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
This problem would be horrible enough if it was limited to hospital sterilization procedures. As it is, many underpaid hospital employees are under a significant amount of pressure to sterilize reusable surgical tools in time for the next surgery. This situation alone is wide open for human error.
However, we have also learned that many of these tools simply cannot be adequately sterilized between surgeries due to the manufacturer’s design. Many instruments such as suction and drainage tubes are made of polymers which will melt at high temperatures. This leaves them much more likely to be contaminated.
In the CPI’s report, there is one cited complaint to the FDA regarding a surgical instrument that simply could not be cleaned and sterilized properly. The FDA requested the manufacturer to investigate the matter. As yet, the FDA has not released the results of this investigation, calling into question their diligence in their oversight.
What this all adds up to is an increase in post-operative infections. These infections can be covered up by drugs such as steroids. This can lead to further complications, additional surgeries and medications, and even the patient’s suffering and death.
Every one of our medical malpractice attorneys in Baltimore at Snyder and Snyder strongly advise that you consult an attorney to protect your rights if you or someone you love have suffered from a post-operative infection.