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Infections can occur after foot surgery if bacteria enter the body through the surgical site. Symptoms often include redness, swelling, warmth, drainage, and fever. Some infections are mild and respond to antibiotics. Others spread and lead to serious health problems.
All surgeries carry some risk of infection, even when doctors do everything right. But certain infections don’t just happen. They arise because of preventable mistakes. Skipping safety steps, ignoring symptoms, or using unclean tools can all raise the risk of infection. Surgeons and their teams must follow strict medical standards to prevent infections. If they don’t, patients can suffer from avoidable health problems.
Common Causes of Preventable Infections
Post-op infections don’t always point to a mistake, but some clearly happen due to a failure to follow basic medical procedures. Below are some common reasons post-op infections happen when they shouldn’t:
- Poor sterilization of tools or operating areas: If surgical teams don’t clean instruments or surgery spaces properly, germs can enter the body during the procedure.
- Rushed or careless wound closure: A surgeon who closes a wound too quickly or without care might trap bacteria inside or create gaps that allow germs in later.
- Failure to administer antibiotics: Some surgeries call for antibiotics either before or after the procedure. If a doctor skips this step, the infection risk increases.
- Poor bandaging or dressing changes: If staff apply dressings the wrong way or wait too long to change them, wounds can stay damp or exposed and harbor bacteria.
- Ignoring early signs of infection: If a patient reports swelling, heat, or drainage, and the care team doesn’t take it seriously, the infection can get worse and harder to treat.
- Operating despite known risks: Some patients have conditions that make healing harder. If a doctor proceeds without planning for these risks, it can lead to infection.
- Not cleaning the foot before surgery: The foot naturally carries more bacteria than many parts of the body. Skipping proper cleaning can lead to trouble during recovery.
- Delays in post-surgical care: If a provider cancels follow-up visits or fails to check wounds soon after surgery, small problems can grow into serious infections.
When an Infection Becomes Grounds for a Malpractice Claim
An infection could be a sign of malpractice if a provider causes it through bad choices or poor care. Malpractice cases look at what a trained doctor should have done in the same situation and how the surgeon might have fallen short. If their care did fall short, and a patient got hurt, the patient might have a claim. A podiatric malpractice lawyer can review the facts and help patients explore their legal options.
How a Malpractice Lawyer Can Help
If you want answers or are thinking about filing a claim after a post-op foot infection, a malpractice attorney can help you by:
- Reviewing your medical records and post-op reports
- Gathering expert opinions about your care
- Requesting your full surgical and nursing notes
- Looking into whether the facility followed standard infection prevention protocols
- Taking statements from medical staff and witnesses
- Comparing your care to accepted medical guidelines
- Pointing out gaps or red flags in your treatment timeline
- Calculating how the infection affected your health and income
- Explaining your options under New York law
- Preparing and filing all legal paperwork on time
- Talking to the doctor’s insurance company for you
- Readying your case for trial if a settlement doesn’t happen
Contact a New York Podiatry Malpractice Attorney Today
If you think your foot surgery infection happened because of substandard care, don’t wait to get answers. Dental & Podiatry Malpractice Lawyers of New York take these cases seriously and know how to spot medical mistakes. Contact us now to get started with a free consultation. We’ll listen to your story, review all the facts, and help you decide what to do next.