Infected Hip Replacement
If your hip replacement became infected and medical practitioners failed to take any action, you could be entitled to pursue a claim for compensation.
To talk to a solicitor about making a medical compensation claim, please do not hesitate to get in touch with us today.
Hip replacements
Hip replacements are common procedures in the UK. It involves surgically removing a damaged hip and replacing it with a prosthetic one. The prostheses may be made out of metal, plastic, ceramic, or a combination of these.
Hip replacements are intended to improve a patient's quality of life, reducing the pain and dysfunction within one or both hips. This pain and dysfunction can be caused by a number of conditions, most of which are associated with the ageing process. They includes rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis and hip fractures (often sustained by elderly patients during falls).
Infection after hip replacement
The NHS states that the risk of complication during/after a hip replacement is very low, with around one in 100 people experiencing some sort of problem.
One potential complication is an infection in the wound. This happens when bacteria manage to get inside the surgical wound, infecting the tissue surrounding the artificial hip. This will cause symptoms such as:
- High temperature
- Shivering and chills
- Redness and swelling around the hip
- Liquid discharge oozing from the surgical wound
- Persistent hip pain
Treating infected hip replacement
An infected hip replacement is a serious complication that must be treated immediately. This is firstly because the bacteria can quickly spread across the body. This may prompt a severe reaction from the body's immune system, leading to a potentially deadly condition called sepsis.
Secondly, an infection surrounding the artificial hip will cause the tissue to break down. This can adversely affect the outcome of the operation, rendering it ineffective. The patient will therefore need another procedure to replace the prosthetic joint.
Medical practitioners should be quick to realise that a hip replacement has become infected. Indeed, the patient will be displaying the classic signs of an infection – something which is known to be a risk of surgical procedures.
Prompt action should subsequently be taken to treat the infection. This will involve intravenous antibiotics and repeated wash-outs of the wound.
Failure to treat hip replacement infection
Failing to treat a hip replacement infection is unacceptable. Medical practitioners should be able to recognise an infection and offer timely treatment, thereby preventing serious complications such as sepsis and repeat surgical procedures.
If you or your loved one has been affected by substandard medical care, please contact us to discuss a medical negligence claim.
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