If you developed necrotising fasciitis after surgery for ulcerative colitis, you need to check whether the standard of care you received fell below an acceptable standard. Contact us today for more information.
Surgical treatment for ulcerative colitis
Ulcerative colitis is a chronic inflammatory bowel disease, the cause of which is unknown. It normally presents with a relapsing and remitting course. This means a patient will experience a period of symptoms followed by a period of being asymptomatic. However, some patients who initially present with ulcerative colitis present with fulminant colitis which does not respond to medical treatment and requires surgical treatment during their first admission.
Nevertheless, most patients with ulcerative colitis will first be treated by means of medication – such as 5-ASA, steroids and Azathioprine or other immunosuppressants. In some patients with severe colitis medical therapy fails, or fails to control the symptoms. In such patients consideration needs to be given as to whether surgery should be recommended. This involves the surgical removal of the colon in order to prevent chronic ill health or even the danger of development of toxic megacolon with perforation of the bowel.
If colitis does not respond to medical treatment, it is entirely reasonable for medical practitioners to recommend a subtotal colectomy.
Infective complications of surgery
All surgery carries risks. There will be increased infective complications in patients undergoing surgery for ulcerative colitis who are taking immunosuppressant therapy. For example, Azathioprine and Infliximab does increase the risk of infection in the post-operative period. The use of steroids also affects wound healing.
Another potential complication is the breakdown of the closure of the rectal stump. For that reason many surgeons leave a drainage catheter into the rectum of prevent the accumulation of fluid in the rectal stump, minimising the risk of complication. However there is no consensus amongst surgeons and many would not put an in-dwelling catheter into the rectum.
Necrotising fasciitis after surgery
One possible post-operative infection that may arise is necrotising fasciitis. It may develop as a post-operative infection, or as a result of sepsis from a leaking rectal stump.
Necrotising fasciitis is a very serious infection that causes the tissue to breakdown and die. This process happens extremely quickly, so it is important that doctors recognise the signs of a post-operative infection and provide timely treatment. If there is a failure to manage necrotising fasciitis, causing a patient further complications, there will be a case of medical negligence.
For more information on necrotising fasciitis claims, please get in touch with us today.
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