Bone and joint infections require quick diagnosis and immediate treatment. Especially if the condition in question is osteomyelitis (bone infection) or septic arthritis (joint infection). Both of these conditions cannot be missed or treated too late. Otherwise, it can lead to the destruction of tissue, seriously damage joints, and even spread throughout the body potentially causing life-threatening medical situations.
In severe cases, an untreated infection can lead to permanent disability, amputation, and even death. If you had a delayed diagnosis or treatment of bone and joint infections that resulted in these catastrophic results, you may have legal options on the table. This is where a medical malpractice attorney in your area can be able to assist you to determine if you have a case.
Medical personnel have a standard duty of care that must be followed. Failure to do so is considered negligence on their part.
Why Bone and Joint Infections Are Medical Emergencies
Infections that happen inside the bones or joints are dangerous since they can spread quickly and destroy surrounding tissue. There are two of the most serious infections that are emergencies that need to be treated promptly. They include:
- Osteomyelitis: This occurs when bacteria infects the bone. The infection can also reach the bone via the bloodstream as well as nearby tissue or an open wound.
- Septic arthritis: When bacteria enters a joint, it can cause inflammation as well as rapid destruction of the cartilage and surrounding tissue.
Without proper treatment, such infections can lead to the following consequences:
- Permanent joint damage
- Destruction of bone
- Sepsis
- Chronic infections
- Amputation
Early diagnosis and aggressive treatment are both critical here. Meaning the sooner such symptoms are spotted that may indicate these infections, the quicker a medical professional can make an accurate diagnosis. Time is not on the side of the patient in these situations.
Hypothetical Story: When An Infection Is Missed Until It’s Too Late
One day, a patient visits an urgent care clinic complaining of severe joint paint, redness, swelling, and difficulty moving the joint. They also have a fever as well. The symptoms may be considered less serious. For example, joint pain, swelling, and difficulty moving the joint is common with conditions like:
- Sprains or strains
- Gout
- Flare-ups with arthritis
- Minor injuries
However, doctors may send the patient home with pain medication or instructions to rest. Note, the fever may or may not have been acknowledged but the dots don’t get connected. As such, the next several days become worse for the patient.
This happens when their symptoms progress. The joint becomes more swollen and the pain is considerably worse. The patient develops a fever, chills, and the difficulty of moving the limb increases. Next, the patient goes to the hospital for tests that later reveal a serious infection has been present and had been progressing for days or even weeks.
Since the infection might have spread into the bone or surrounding tissue, surgery may be the only option. The intent is to determine if extensive tissue damage has occurred. If it has, that’s when amputation becomes the only option to save the life of the patient. The question often asked is: would this outcome be preventable?
The short answer: yes. At the outset, the healthcare provider at the clinic could have made a diagnosis for a joint infection by connecting the fever with the joint pain, swelling, and difficulty moving. Tests should have been done to confirm the infection so that effective treatment would have been administered. Since the connection wasn’t made in time, the condition worsens leading to an amputation later on.
Because of this, a medical malpractice lawsuit is being considered by the patient and the family. They go to an experienced attorney who handles those cases and begins to make the determination by reviewing the patient’s medical records, a timeline of what had happened between the initial diagnosis and the amputation.
How Septic Arthritis Damages Joints
Septic arthritis is a known orthopedic emergency since bacteria inside the joint can destroy cartilage fast. The bacteria enters via the joint space leading to an inflammatory response. Other symptoms that may be present include:
- Severe joint pain
- Swelling and warmth around the joint
- Limited range of motion
- Difficulty bearing weight
- Fever or chills
Treatment requires urgent drainage of the injected joint as well as intravenous antibiotics. Septic arthritis delayed treatment is extremely dangerous and can lead to the joint being permanently destroyed and spread to surrounding tissues that can lead to amputation if enough damage is done.
How Osteomyelitis Develops
Osteomyelitis happens when the bacteria infects the bone. Several pathways can allow the infection to happen. Osteomyelitis can spread by way of the following:
- Nearby tissue infections
- Via the bloodstream
- Through open wounds or surgical sites
- Untreated diabetic foot ulcers
Bone infections are very difficult to treat since the bacterial can get trapped inside the bone structure. With that said, treatment will need to be aggressive. It often requires:
- Long-term intravenous antibiotics
- Drainage of abscesses
- Surgical removal of the infected bone
- Reconstruction procedures
If the infection continues to spread, the affected limb may be removed completely to prevent life-threatening complications. Nonetheless, an osteomyelitis misdiagnosis amputation can be prevented if diagnosis and treatment begins early enough. If the patient faces an amputation as a result due to a missed infection diagnosis, the likelihood that medical professionals or the facility face a medical malpractice claim increases.
What Will A Medical Malpractice Lawyer Consider Negligent In Bone and Joint Infection Cases
One thing to note is that not every infection complication results from negligence. Because some infections are challenging to diagnose in the early stages, things can get complex in terms of determining if the infection or complications were the result of medical malpractice. Thus, an experienced lawyer with familiarity with such cases may look for the following:
- Failure to aspirate a joint: Joint aspiration involves removing fluid from the affected joint to test for infection. This is typical for diagnosing a possible case of septic arthritis.
- Failure to order MRI or advanced imaging: An MRI is considered an effective way to detect osteomyelitis and deep tissue infections.
- Delayed orthopedic consultation: Orthopedic surgeons are responsible for evaluating and treating septic arthritis and other bone infections. A delayed consultation can lead to catastrophic results.
- Delayed infectious disease consultation: Specialists in infectious diseases may assist with antibiotic therapy and infection management if necessary.
- Failure to recognize the signs of infection: These include fever, swelling, redness, and severe joint pain. Healthcare providers must be aware of these signs and run the necessary tests and procedures if reported by a patient.
Final Thoughts
Bone and joint infections must be diagnosed and treated accordingly. A delay can endanger a patient to the point where the infection gets worse and amputation is the result. This can be preventable if medical professionals act quickly. However, if you were a patient and had a limb amputated due to delayed diagnosis or treatment of bone and joint infections, you have legal options. Contact a local medical malpractice attorney as soon as possible for a consultation.
