A male patient, following open-heart surgery, developed a small red lump near his sternum a couple of years post-operation. Examination revealed that a wire used to close his chest during the initial surgery was protruding through his skin. While an additional procedure was performed to clip the wire, the patient’s health declined due to improper wound care. Over the following months, he developed osteomyelitis in his collar bone, which required emergency surgery to remove the infected bone segment.
During this emergency surgery, a large sponge was discovered inside the patient’s chest, indicating a serious oversight by the nursing staff responsible for his wound care. This retained sponge was identified as the cause of the severe infection that spread to his collar bone. As a result of enduring months of pain, infections, and multiple surgeries, the patient sought our legal expertise. Through rigorous investigation and litigation, our firm achieved a substantial settlement for the patient, providing some relief in his difficult recovery.
Type of Medical Malpractice: Post-Surgical Negligence and Foreign Object Retention
Standard of Care Issues:
- Proper post-surgical wound care
- Accurate equipment and material counts post-operation
- Timely recognition and response to complications