If your loved one developed necrotising fasciitis in a nursing home or residential home, it is possible that negligent care is to blame. To find out what your options are, you need to talk to a solicitor who specialises in medical negligence.
To speak to a solicitor, please do not hesitate to get in touch with us today.
My relative got necrotising fasciitis in a nursing home
Necrotising fasciitis is a type of bacterial infection. It is a very aggressive infection that attacks the body’s tissue, causing it to become gangrenous and die. It can be fatal if not treated quickly enough.
But how would someone in a nursing home contract necrotising fasciitis?
It is important to note that anyone can get the necrotising fasciitis infection. All that needs to happen is for the bacteria to enter the body through a gap or break in the skin.
However, we have dealt with a number of cases in which an elderly or immobile person in a nursing home/residential home has developed the disease. The common factor in most of these cases is that the infection has occurred as a result of a pressure sore.
Pressure sores and necrotising fasciitis
Pressure sores are prevalent amongst those in nursing homes as residents are often inactive and have poor circulation – both of which predispose someone to developing pressure sores.
A pressure sore provides bacteria with an opportunity to enter the body. There are many different types of bacteria, but if the bacteria which cause necrotising fasciitis enter the body, the condition will arise very quickly.
The bacteria will soon begin to reproduce, a process which releases a toxic chemical into the body. This damages the tissue and blood vessels, leading to the breakdown of tissue and oxygen deprivation.
The lack of oxygen will result in gangrene and shortly after the tissue will die, which in medical terms is called tissue necrosis.
Is this negligent?
Pressures sores are deemed to be a ‘never event’. This means they should not happen if the correct preventative measures are put in place. Therefore the fact your loved one developed a pressure sore could in itself be negligent.
If a nursing home resident does develop a pressure sore, staff should be quick to recognise the problem and watch out for signs of infection. This should ensure the necrotising fasciitis is picked up immediately, before too much damage is done. If there is a delay in recognising and treating the infection, this may also amount to negligence.
To find out whether you loved one has been the victim of negligence, please get in touch with us today.
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