A C-section wound can become infected with necrotising fasciitis. Unfortunately the infection is not always detected in the early stages and a woman goes on to suffer extensive tissue necrosis and life-threatening complications.
If this has happened to you, please get in touch with us today. You could be entitled to compensation. We specialise in necrotizing fasciitis claims and will be able to advise you upon your options.
C-section infection
Anyone undergoing abdominal surgery (such as a C-section) is especially susceptible to developing a surgical site infection after the procedure. This is because there are lots of bacteria inside the abdomen. If the balance between good and bad bacteria is upset by the procedure, or there is a pre-existing infection, it can result in the wound becoming infected.
When a C-section wound becomes infected, it will be extremely sore. It will also look very red and be hot to touch. If left untreated, the wound will begin to ooze fluid and will smell horrible, like rotten flesh. This smell happens because the tissue is in fact dying, which in medical terms is called tissue necrosis.
Recognising and treating a C-section infection
An infected C-section scar should be quickly recognised by medical practitioners.
If the infection begins while a patient is still in hospital, it should be diagnosed by the doctors or midwives. If the infection begins after a patient has been discharged, it should be detected by the Community Midwives who visit the patient in the days after the birth, or by the patient’s GP.
Once an infection is suspected, steps should be taken to confirm the underlying cause. A patient should be sent straight back to hospital for tests. Intravenous antibiotics must be administered immediately, and once necrotizing fasciitis is verified, debridement surgery performed without delay.
Delayed diagnosis of C-section infection
Sadly a C-section infection is not always diagnosed and treated quickly enough. This can have terrible consequences, as the wound will become necrotic. All the dead tissue will eventually have to be cut away, meaning there will be a severe deformity across the patient’s abdomen. This can be unsightly and the appearance will undoubtedly make a patient upset.
Furthermore, necrotizing fasciitis can be fatal. It can make the patient critically unwell with sepsis, septic shock and organ failure. Even if a recovery is made, the process will be slow and the patient may need a long time in hospital. This can deny the patient time with their new born baby, and can render them almost immobile in the months after the infection.
Contact us today
If you have suffered complications because your C-section infection was not treated in time, please get in touch with us today.
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