Minor infections are a common consequence of a kidney transplant. But major infections are often preventable through the exercise of proper medical care. In fact, many major post-operative infections are the direct result of medical negligence.
Minor infections are the result of the immuno-suppressant drugs required to prevent the patient’s body from rejecting the new kidney. But while reducing the body’s immune response to the new kidney, these drugs also reduce the body’s resistance to infections.
Indeed, up to 50 percent of transplant recipients experience a urinary tract infection following surgery.
Fortunately, treatment of these infections is usually simple and effective with standard antibiotics. In fact, most post-transplant infections are generally not a serious problem, but particularly for those with an existing condition which increases the risk of infection (for example, diabetes, polycystic kidneys, or lung disease), they can be serious.
Proper Medical Care Following Kidney Transplant
That’s why proper medical care to prevent post-transplant infections is absolutely crucial. The standard of care for post-operative patients is a mix of drugs, including antibiotics, for at least 6 months to a year following surgery. This mix often includes co-trimoxazole (to prevent pneumocystis pneumonia), amphotericin (to prevent thrush), antibiotics to prevent urinary tract infections, and even isoniazid to prevent tuberculosis in patients at risk for the disease. For patients who have not had the chicken pox (and have no natural immunity), globulin shots may also be needed to prevent a serious complication from this condition.
If you have suffered a serious infection following a kidney transplant, and these precautions were not taken, you may be the victim of medical negligence. Post-operative infections can be the result of improper procedures and screenings prior to the transplant. We have noticed an increasing trend of serious injury and disability from transplant patients receiving infected organs.
Kidney Screening is Vital
Due to lack of proper testing and screening, several kidney-transplant patients have recently received kidneys infected with everything from simple infections to HIV (human immunodeficiency virus, the virus which causes AIDS).
While the seriousness of receiving an organ infected with HIV is self-apparent, receipt of a kidney containing even a simple infection can be devastating due to the required immuno-suppressant drugs. Patients who have received such organs have experienced severe complications, including permanent brain damage and even death.
The receipt of an infected organ is almost universally the result of a failure to conduct proper screenings of organ donors and donated organs. And while the transplant of an infected organ is a rare occurrence in the United States, the consequences are disastrous. If you or someone you love has suffered severe side effects from receiving an infected organ, talk to an experienced legal professional. It is likely that you were the victim of medical negligence.
If you have any questions about serious injuries or death following kidney transplant surgery, please give us a call us at 312-527-4500 or email us at info@passenlaw.com for a complimentary consultation. You can also learn more by following us on Twitter, reviewing our LinkedIn or Avvo.com pages, and by reviewing our website.
