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.

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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

Preventing Injuries Caused by Falls

Not surprisingly, one of the leading causes of injury in the country are falls. In fact, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, almost 9 million emergency room visits to our nation’s hospitals each year are the result of accidental falls.

Accidental falls make up roughly 40 percent of all nonfatal injuries that occur in U.S. homes, according to the Home Safety Council. As for deadly falls in the home, they make up about a third all accidental home injury deaths.

Young children and the elderly are at the highest risk of falling and injuring themselves in the home, so it is important to take extra precautions in these households.

The American Academy of Emergency Physicians offers several tips on how to prevent falls that occur in your home:

• Remove clutter and clear all staircases and walkways throughout your home.
• Make sure staircases are well lit, especially at landings.
• Utilize nightlights in bathrooms, hallways and bedrooms.
• Make sure loose carpeting or other flooring is replaced or repaired.
• Install bars or handrails in bathrooms and showers where needed, especially in homes where elderly adults live.
• Make sure shower and tub floors have non-slip surfaces.
• Refrain from using throw rugs in homes where elderly adults live or make sure rugs are secured properly.
• Install gates with locks near staircases in homes with young children.
• Install window guards that can be easily opened in case of fire.

Many times when an adult or child are injured or killed as a result of a fall, the accident is a result of another person’s negligence. If you or a loved one has been hurt in a trip or slip and fall accident, please call or e-mail our premises liability attorneys today. The call is free and our premises liability lawyers only get paid if we can obtain money for you. Our firm proudly serves clients in New York City and Long Island, including the Bronx, Queens, Brooklyn, Manhattan, Nassau and Suffolk.

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Study: Increase in image-guided biopsies

According to a recent study published in medical journal Radiology, the majority of biopsies are now being done in a less invasive way, using imaging to direct the needle.

Researchers led by Dr. Sharon W. Kwan, a resident in radiology at the University of California in San Francisco, found that between 1997 and 2008, image-guided biopsies went from 59 percent of all biopsies to 67 percent. Biopsies, which involve removing tissue or fluid for testing, are more accurate when the needle is guided by imaging such as CT scans, ultrasound and MRI.

The frequency of biopsies to screen for disease has been increasing annually, with improving technology such as image guidance making them more and more accurate. A biopsy can help detect cancer in its earliest stages, allowing patients to start receiving treatment sooner and improving the chances of survival for most types of cancer.

The failure to diagnose cancer is one of the leading causes of medical malpractice lawsuits. If you or a loved one has been the victim of undiagnosed or misdiagnosed cancer, please contact the cancer malpractice lawyers at Silberstein, Awad & Miklos, P.C. for more information and to schedule a free case consultation. We have helped clients with Bronx cancer malpractice, Queens cancer malpractice, Brooklyn cancer malpractice, Long Island cancer malpractice and other New York cancer malpractice cases.

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Study: Link between obesity and cesarean section

A new study published in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology has found that patients with a higher body mass index (BMI) at the time of delivery are at a greater risk of having a c-section.

Researchers involved in the study examined data on roughly 125,000 women who had a baby between 2002 and 2008, including the way in which each baby was delivered, as well as other information surrounding the birth. Each woman was part of the National Institutes of Health’s Consortium on Safe Labor.

Along with her team, lead researcher Dr. Michelle Kominiarek, a fetal and maternal medicine physician at Indiana University Hospital, found that for each additional unit in BMI, the risk that a woman would need to undergo cesarean section increased by 4 percent. Of the women included in the study, 14 percent had c-sections.

In the U.S., about a third of all births are delivered through c-section, which can increase the risk of bleeding, infection and hysterectomy. The rate of c-section is now about 50 percent higher than it was just two decades ago, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

If your child has suffered an injury that may have been preventable, please call or e-mail Silberstein, Awad & Miklos, P.C. today. One of our experienced birth injury attorneys will evaluate your case at no cost. We have helped clients across New York, including those with Bronx birth injury, Queens birth injury, Brooklyn birth injury, Manhattan birth injury and Long Island birth injury cases.

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New Way to Detect Common Cancers

According to scientists, a sensor known as an “electronic nose” may be able to identify chemical variations in a person’s breath that indicate cancer. The breath test was found to be able to identify prostate, breast, lung and bowel cancers by making a distinction between healthy and malignant breath.

Although this technology is still in its earliest stages of development, the clear usefulness of this tool could be a huge step in diagnosing these types of cancer earlier than before. The study that gave way to this report, which was published in the British Journal of Cancer, was conducted using 177 participants. Each person’s breath was tested to detect whether cancer was present or not.

Early detection of cancer allows for earlier treatment and a better prognosis. If you or someone you love has been harmed by a delay in diagnosing or treating cancer, the cancer malpractice attorneys at Silberstein, Awad & Miklos, P.C. can help. Your initial consultation is FREE and there is NO FEE to you unless we recover money. Please call us today, or submit an instant inquiry now. Our firm has helped clients with Queens cancer malpractice, Brooklyn cancer malpractice, Bronx cancer malpractice, Long Island cancer malpractice and other New York cancer malpractice cases.

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New Pap Smear Guidelines for Young Women

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) has released new guidelines stating that for women under 21 years of age, Pap smears may cause more damage than good.

These new guidelines support previous cervical cancer screening recommendations from late 2009. However, in addition to the previous guidelines, the new recommendations also state that for young girls with weakened immune systems, Pap smears should be performed before they turn 21. A compromised immune system as a result of organ transplant, HIV or other condition may permit human papillomavirus (HPV) infections to become cancer more easily than in a healthy young woman, so earlier screening is recommended.

Roughly 20 million people in the U.S. are currently infected with HPV, making it the most prevalent sexually transmitted disease in the world, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). HPV rarely leads to cervical cancer in women under 21, making Pap smears for women in this age group uncalled for.

National Cancer Institute data shows that so far in 2010, more than 12,000 women have been newly diagnosed with cervical cancer, which is almost always caused by HPV infections. If you or a loved one have experienced a delay in diagnosing cancer and have questions about the quality of the medical care you received, call or email the cancer malpractice attorneys at Silberstein, Awad & Miklos, P.C. We have helped clients with Bronx cervical cancer malpractice, Brooklyn cervical cancer malpractice, Queens cervical cancer malpractice and Long Island cervical cancer malpractice cases. Call today for your FREE case evaluation.

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