Hospital-Acquired Infection Causes
More than 720,000 hospital-acquired infections are reported each year. While these instances are often linked to hospital cleanliness, the defective product lawyers at Ponce Law explain many are now linked to medical devices that don’t function as intended.
Problems With Forced-Air Warming Blankets
Approximately 80 percent of all hospitals in the United States keep patients warm during surgery with a device that passes heated air through a blanket. The device is effective, but the inventor of one such blanket has come forward saying the use of such technology may be spreading bacteria.
A study on forced-air warming blanket hospital infections published in The Bone and Joint Journal reported that using this technology may increase the risk of deep joint infections by as much as 380 percent.
These blankets aren’t the only devices linked to passing germs, though.
Gastrointestinal Scopes and Superbug Infections
Gastrointestinal scopes manufactured by Olympus Corp. may be linked to dozens of infections that seriously harmed patients. An article from the LA Times explains certain parts of the scopes were often missed during cleanings, allowing potentially deadly bacteria to thrive. The germs were then passed into the bodies of patients during medical procedures.
The Road to Recovery
Putting a stop to hospital-acquired infections should be the responsibility of medical device manufacturers and medical facilities. If you’ve been harmed by the use of a defective medical product, reporting the incident to the proper authorities and seeking out information about your legal rights may help prevent further harm.