According to a study published in the Journal of the American College of Surgeons, when a patient’s elective surgery is delayed after being admitted to the hospital, their risk of infection increases, in addition to their hospital bill.
The study, which was conducted by U.S. researchers, analyzed data from elective surgery patients that underwent either coronary artery bypass grafts, colon resections or lung resections.
They found that when coronary artery bypass grafts were performed the same day the patient was admitted, roughly 6 percent developed an infection. However, when surgery was delayed six to ten days, the rate of infection increased to more than 18 percent. When colon resection procedures were performed the same day as admission, researchers found that about 8.5 percent of patients developed an infection, compared with roughly 21.5 percent whose surgery was delayed. The rate of infection for patients undergoing lung resection surgery on the day of admission was around 10 percent, while about 20.5 percent of those who experienced a delay developed an infection.
Infections were found to include, pneumonia, postoperative sepsis, surgical site infections and urinary tract infections. Researchers also found that when these elective procedures were performed on the same day as admission, the cost of the surgery was much lower than if the patient experienced a delay.
In some cases, a surgical delay can result in serious injury or death. If you or a loved one was injured or died as a result of a surgical delay or error, please call or e-mail the surgical malpractice lawyers at Silberstein, Awad & Miklos, P.C. today for a free consultation. Our experienced attorneys have helped those injured by surgical malpractice throughout New York, including the Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens, Nassau and Suffolk.
Call us toll-free, 1-877-ASK4SAM and visit us online at www.ask4sam.net
