Question i had a birminham hip resurfacing done in denver and contracted staph this went on for months. Going to the infectious disease doctor one a week then doctors told me that the infection caused the hip to not take so i had to continue with the antibiotic treatment for 3 more months. Returned to hospital to have hip removed and a antibiotic spacer put in it's place. Then 3 months later back hospital for tradditional hip replacment. returned home 2 weeks ago follow all instructions from doctor. then last week i saw the home care nurse at 9:00 a.m. then about 6 that evening tempature was 104 returned to hospital to find out now i contracted mrsa. I don't know what to do. the infectious disease doctor wated me to take the hip out and leave out. I'M ONLY 57 i can't live the rest of my life in a chair. Is there any coarse of action i can take?
Answer Staphylococcus aureus is a pathogen that has been around for years. Recently varieties have been identified as MRSA (methycillin resistant) staphylococcus. It is still the same bacterium and is still known among patients and doctors as the hospital infection. The source of infection is almost always people who do not wash their hands, who cough and spit, who sweat so the germs can fall from foreheads into wounds, who in all kinds of ways spread the germ. Your doctor could have infected you. The anaesthesiologist could have infected you. Nurses could have infected you. Whoever it may be will possibly escape identification. But someone caring for you during your hospitalization gave you this infection.
You may find leads to class action lawsuits by going to Google and running a search for 'MRSAlawsuits'. Call some of these lawyers who have actions like this and see if you can sign up with them. Many lawyers have made these cases their main line of work.
When you talk to these lawyers have in your hand a short, clear outline that you have typed. Make sure to name doctors, hospitals, nurses if possible, and give DATES. You have not said in your recital when all this happened. Lawyers have to file their cases during certain periods, and so you must help them establish times.
Do your research anbd get started calling lawyers.
You probably should stop planning more medical care until you get a lawyer. He may be able to advise you about your next move. Probably once the infectious hardware is removed, and you may be able to have another surgery so you are not totally disabled. But the infection must be controlled first.
