Medical Malpractice
Undiagnosed Strep Infections and the Risk of Losing a Limb
There have been a handful of stories in the news lately about people who have undergone amputations because of strep infections. Three in particular stand out: A Michigan father lost his fingers and toes. A Tennessee woman also lost fingers and toes. A 6-year-old competitive dancer in Ohio lost her left leg. What happened to…
Read MoreWhat You Should Know about a New Deadly, Easily-Spread Fungal Infection Found in Maryland
One of the biggest threats to hospital patients are HAIs – healthcare associated infections. Sepsis, MRSA and c. diff are the most common (and can be the deadliest if left untreated), but any infection is dangerous, especially to people with weakened immune systems. In particular, the elderly, young children, people with auto-immune conditions and anyone…
Read MoreHow to Avoid the Common Causes of Medication Errors
In 2016, we learned that medical errors had become the third leading cause of the death in the nation. There are many different kinds of error that contribute to that figure, including errors with medication. Avoiding medication error is no longer as simple as sticking to a schedule and taking the right pill at the…
Read MoreThe CDC Has Labeled Sepsis as a “Medical Emergency”
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has issued a warning about sepsis, a potentially fatal complication of infections. When caught in time, sepsis can be treated, but a delay can lead to serious injury or even death. (Both actress Patty Duke and boxer Muhammad Ali died of sepsis-related complications this year.) The illness moves…
Read MoreOlympus Endoscopes Lawsuits Beginning to Take Shape
Last year, we wrote about a “superbug” infection caused by Carbapenem-Resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE), which was linked to use of the Tokyo-based Olympus Corp.’s duodenoscopes. At that time, only two lawsuits had been filed. In January of this year, however, Olympus voluntarily recalled thousands of those scopes “two days after a U.S. Senate report concluded that…
Read MoreRadiation Overdoses May Be the Result of Medical Negligence
Cancer survivors who have undergone radiation and chemotherapy to treat the disease sometimes say that the cure is worse than the condition. Medical professionals use radiation therapies for more than just cancer treatment, however – and sometimes, they use too much. An overdose of radiation can lead to internal burn injuries, and (ironically) to the…
Read MoreMaryland Hospitals Score Poorly When it Comes to C. Diff Transmission
Clostridium difficile, or C. diff, is one of the more common hospital acquired infections (HAIs). It is also one of the more dangerous, especially for the very young and the elderly. It is easily transmittable from object-to-person, or person-to-person, and it “can produce toxins that attack the lining of the intestine,” according to the Mayo…
Read MoreDear FDA: Keep Your Boxed Warning about Power Morcellators in Place
There are some very serious side effects associated with the use of power morcellators – side effects that the Food and Drug Administration started investigating in June of 2014. It has been more than a year and half since that initial advisory panel, and in that time the FDA has revised its “black box” warning…
Read MoreDoctor Privileges and Hospital Accountability
When you go to the hospital and you are seen by a doctor, you will likely assume that the doctor is employed by that hospital. That is not always the case. Doctors tend to work like independent contractors, and are granted certain privileges to see patients within the facility. When that doctor commits an act…
Read MoreDefective Medical Devices: Stryker Hip Replacements
The Stryker Corp. is based in Michigan, and manufactures around 57,000 products. Their products are all related to the medical and surgical fields, with a focus on reconstructive surgery. In 2009, Stryker recalled three hip replacement products: Rejuvenate Modular-Neck Hip Stems ABG II Modular-Neck Hip Stems Accolade TMZF Plus Hip Stem These three products were…
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