Indianapolis Surgical Infection Lawyers

Recent Surgical Sterilization Issues in Indiana

When hospitals fail in their most basic duties, it is patients who suffer the consequences. Investigations in Indiana, across the U.S. and in Canada show how widespread and dangerous sterilization failures can be:

• At an Indiana VA hospital, surgeries were delayed after concerns surfaced about whether surgical instruments were sterile.
• Very recently, at the main campus of Franciscan Health in Indianapolis, serious sterilization issues reportedly related to both water contamination and a third party sterilization failure allegedly resulted in catastrophic harm to some surgical patients, as well as significant surgery cancellations and delays.
• In Colorado, state health officials investigated reports of improperly sterilized instruments at a major medical center, raising alarms for patients already scheduled for surgery.
• A Canadian hospital faced public scrutiny after equipment sterilization problems put patient safety at risk.

Can Hospitals Be Held Liable?

Surgical patients are often already vulnerable due to illness or injury. When medical professionals expose them to contaminated equipment, the risk of infection escalates quickly. Bacteria or viruses introduced during surgery can spread rapidly throughout the body. What may start as a localized infection can become sepsis, organ failure or other devastating conditions.

Hospitals and surgical centers must:

• Properly clean and sterilize all surgical instruments before use
• Follow established infection-control procedures for operating rooms and recovery areas
• Ensure staff are trained and up to date on sterilization protocols
• Immediately investigate and resolve any breakdowns in sterilization practices

Medical Malpractice Attorneys at CohenMalad, LLP Can Help

If you or a loved one developed an infection after surgery and suspect it was linked to improperly sterilized equipment, you may have a claim for medical malpractice. Our attorneys have extensive experience holding hospitals, surgical centers, and medical providers accountable when they fail to protect patients.

We investigate what went wrong, whether sterilization protocols were ignored, and whether a lack of training or oversight caused your injury. Most importantly, we fight to obtain compensation for the harm you suffered, including medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, and future care needs.

Contact CohenMalad, LLP's Medical Malpractice team today to discuss your case. Consultations are free, and you pay nothing unless we recover compensation on your behalf.