Gangrene is a complication that may develop due to the death of tissue in and around the pressure sore. Severe pressure sores may result in the reduction of blood flow in and around the wound. The reduced blood flow increases the ability of bacteria to grow. Bacteria produce toxins that the body is unable to remove.
Once the toxins accumulate, deterioration of tissue ensues. Ultimately, as the tissue deteriorates the common gangrene symptoms may occur (black or green discoloration of skin and foul odors).
Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers knows the embarrassment to the individual and family when gangrene is involved. Don’t make the mistake of assuming the insurance company will be as sympathetic!
If your loved one has developed gangrene following the development of a pressure sore, please contact our office for a free legal evaluation.
Related Materials From Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers:
One of the trends in nursing home litigation has been the inclusion of mandatory arbitration agreements in admission paperwork. By signing an arbitration agreement (usually unknowingly), nursing home patients may surrender their opportunity to recover money for an injury via a traditional jury trial. Alternatively, injured parties must present their grievances before an individual or group of arbitrators.
The arbitration agreements set forth the terms of the arbitration and how many arbitrators will hear the matter. Generally, in the case of a single arbitrator, the individual is selected by the nursing home. In the case of an arbitration panel (usually three people) both the nursing home and the injured party may choose an arbitrator, with a third arbitrator selected by the appointed arbitrators….
The Journal Carrier reported on a recently filed Illinois lawsuit against Jacksonville Convalescent Center involving the death of an 87-year-old man at the facility. According to reports, the lawsuit was filed based on the poor care provided by the nursing home contributed to the patients death.
Despite having multiple medical conditions such as: prior strokes, hypertension, diabetes and dementia that put the man at an increased risk for falling, the facility allegedly failed to implement the necessary safeguards and he subsequently fell and fractured his hip which necessitated a surgery….
Yes. Gangrene is a complication that may develop due to the death of tissue in and around the bed sore. Severe bed sores may result in the reduction of blood flow in and around the wound. The reduced blood flow increases the ability of bacteria to grow. Bacteria produce toxins that the body is unable to remove. Once the toxins accumulate, deterioration of tissue ensues. Ultimately, as the tissue deteriorates the common gangrene symptoms may occur (black or green discoloration and foul odors).
Depending on where the gangrene develops, there may be several treatment options including strong antibiotics, surgical debridement or limb amputation….
When nursing homes take simple, preventative steps such as: turning patients, keeping them clean, and providing adequate nutrition and hydration; they can greatly decrease the incidence of pressure sores at their facilities. However, even though the preventative steps are well known, many nursing facilities simply fail to implement the necessary care that patients require to function optimally.
I was particularly disturbed when I came across an article in the Arizona Daily Star regarding a Kindred-owned nursing home that has been repeatedly failed to provide sufficient wound care for its patients. In fact, Villa Campana Health Care Center was most recently fined by state authorities $10,000 following a horrific chain of events involving a patient who was admitted to the facility last fall….