Thursday, December 23, 2010

Risk of Infection Increases with Surgery Delay

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

Tuesday, December 21, 2010

Drop-Side Cribs Banned by Government

Last week, the U.S. government announced a ban on drop-side cribs, prohibiting the manufacture, sale and resale of these popular cribs after a unanimous vote by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. Hazardous drop-side cribs have been responsible for more than thirty infant and toddler deaths over the past ten years, with millions of cribs being recalled due to safety concerns.

In addition to the ban, the Consumer Product Safety Commission has also ordered stricter safety inspections for cribs, as well as better markers on pre-assembly pieces to lessen the number of mistakes made when putting these cribs together.

Faulty hardware and assembly problems with drop-side cribs can become deadly for infants and toddlers when the rail becomes unattached from the frame of the crib, creating a gap where the child can strangle or suffocate themselves.

These crib safety improvements should greatly reduce the number of crib-related injuries and deaths. If your child was injured or died as a result of a dangerous or defective product, call the product liability attorneys at Silberstein, Awad, & Miklos, P.C. today. Our experienced lawyers are here to help. Call us for a free consultation.

Call us toll-free, 1-877-ASK4SAM and visit www.ask4sam.net for more information.

Source: Associated Press, 12/15/10