Infection after knee replacement operation
May I thank you for the way my accident claim has been handled, after my accident my confidence was very low indeed but the sympathetic handling of my case restored my confidence.
John, SheffieldJoan had suffered from rheumatoid arthritis for several years and underwent a total knee replacement operation in the hope that it would make her knee feel better.
However six months after the procedure she developed an infection in her knee which caused her terrible pain. She was prescribed oral antibiotics but these did not kill the infection and it continued to get worse. The antibiotics also caused Joan's Crohn's Disease to flare up, which led to severe diarrhoea.
The following year a sinus and surgical abscess developed in her knee, and burst multiple times. Joan was given more antibiotics but they did not help at all. She was also admitted to hospital for a drainage procedure, but afterwards she could feel a new and more acute pain above her knee.
Eventually, three years later, Joan was told that revision surgery would be needed to replace the prosthesis and rid her knee of the infection. This was performed by a different surgeon, and during the procedure he found a 5cm piece of plastic tube in Joan's knee. This had been left in during the previous drainage procedure. As the infection was so bad the surgery to fix her knee was more extensive than it would have been if it had been done sooner.
Fortunately the revision of her knee was a great success, and Joan is so pleased with the result that she is now planning to have other knee operated on.
A specialist clinical negligence solicitor settled Joan's claim. Compensation was obtained for the pain and suffering Joan experienced due to keeping her on ineffective antibiotics for too long, leaving the drainage tube in her knee, and having to undergo more extensive surgery due to the delay.
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