Treating a Spinal Cord Injury

An integral part of a physicians oath to care for their patients, is to be up to date on current medical advancements and medications.

Medicinal science is a field that changes everyday, with thousands of physicians around the globe working towards improving health care and patient outcomes. If a surgeon elects to perform a new procedure on your body, it is important that they first familiarize themselves fully with it. Without all the facts there is a high probability that they will make an error that can negatively affect your health and prognosis. If a surgeon has recently performed a new procedure, or installed a new device, that has actually worsened your condition, it is important that you know your rights. Gather together all of the medical records and bring them to a medical malpractice attorney for review. If the surgeon breached the standard of care, you may be entitled to compensation.

Spinal Cord Injuries

Billions of dollars are spent each year on researching spinal cord injuries and possible cures. It is estimated that each year, 12,000 people injure their spinal cord and that ¼ of American people currently cope with the effects of a spinal cord injury. Close to 40% of all spinal cord injuries are the result of a car accident. The rest result from falls and other uncommon causes. An injury to any part of a body’s central nervous can leave serious, lifelong deficits in a persons quality of life.

Treatment

Before 1950, if a person suffered from an injury to their spine, death was almost imminent. Physicians knew very little about how the central nervous system worked, and if a patient did actually survive their only option was typically a life spent in a wheel chair. As knowledge of the spinal cord grew, a new standard of care was established that called for a repositioning of the sine and bone repair to prevent any further damage. Over the period of 6 decades, further advancements were made and devices were designed that could aide a patient in regaining full recovery.

One such advancement is known as a spinal cage and involves replacing sections of injured spine with a small metal cage that has been filled with bone graft material. The idea being that over time the spine will use the graft to begin repairing itself. Most cages are functional, yet require additional support to prevent them from moving away from the injury. A Missouri woman settled her claim for a botched spinal surgery for well over a million dollars. The surgeon assigned to her case did not read up on the latest material before attempting a replacement with a cage he had never used before. As a result he opted to not supply further support to the cage, causing it to shift and cause permanent disability to the patient. Had the surgeon researched the cage beforehand, he would have known that it required additional support.

St. Louis Medical Malpractice Lawyers

Losing the ability to walk is a terrible tragedy, especially if it was caused by a negligent surgeon who did not bother to read up on a device before using it for the first time. If treatment of your spinal cord injury actually caused you more pain and suffering, contact a medical malpractice attorney at the Zevan and Davidson Law Firm.

Schedule a free consultation today by calling (314) 588-7200.

photo credit: isafmedia