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Medical Negligence in Illinois Can Lead to Bacterial Infections after Surgery (Part A)

When you face surgery, you have enough concerns connected with the procedure that you shouldn't also have to worry about developing an infection after surgery. Yet every year in the United States, as many as a million patients suffer bacterial infections as a result of surgery.

Developing a bacterial infection at the surgical site is serious, as it can be life-threatening and fatal. If you or a loved one has suffered a bacterial infection after surgery, you may be entitled to file an Illinois medical malpractice claim.

A Chicago medical malpractice attorney has experience in this area of law and can help determine what legal options you may have available. When medical negligence causes you to suffer further injuries, you may be eligible to receive compensation.

Surgeries that Can Lead to an Illinois Medical Malpractice Claim

While a patient can develop a bacterial infection anywhere, there are some areas of the body that are more susceptible, such as the bloodstream, which can develop septicemia. The respiratory and urinary tracts are also quite vulnerable to infection.

There are also certain procedures that pose a greater risk of infection after surgery, including:

• Appendectomy - risk is heightened if the appendix has ruptured, with the risk of blood poisoning if the untreated bacterial infection enters the patient's blood stream.
• Colonoscopy - improperly cleaned colonoscopes can lead to bacterial infections.
• Colon cancer surgery - bacteria that inhabit the large intestine or colon raise the risk for bacterial infection.

Of course, any type of surgery can pose the risk for infection at the surgical site. Left untreated or undetected, the consequences could lead to severe illness.

When there is a failure to detect or treat a bacterial infection, this may be a case of medical negligence and you may be entitled to pursue compensation through an Illinois medical malpractice claim.

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Barry G. Doyle, P.C.
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