Osteomyelitis is infection and inflammation of bone or bone marrow. Bone infections can be a result of medical malpractice by a doctor, orthopedic surgeon or physician assistant if an underlying infection was not properly diagnosed or treated.
Bacteria can reach a bone by traveling through the bloodstream from other illnesses such as severe pneumonia or urinary tract infections but it can also infect a bone due to:
- An infected IV, PICC, umbilical or central line
- A cut on a foot, hand, arm or leg causing an open wound
- A compound fracture of a bone that punctures the skin
- Penetrating trauma
- Hospital acquired infections
- An insect or animal bite
- A decubitus ulcer
- Recent surgery
- An injection in a bone or joint area
Any infection must be diagnosed and properly treated to help prevent bacteria from attacking a bone. If a bone is suspected of having osteomyelitis, a biopsy or culture should be performed to identify the organism so that proper antibiotic treatment can be started. If a bone infection is left untreated it can lead to limb amputation.
If you or someone close to you developed osteomyelitis or a bone infection that was not diagnosed in time, was incorrectly treated, was misdiagnosed or not treated at all, you may want to contact an experienced medical malpractice lawyer or law firm that concentrates on hospital infection negligence.
