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If you have experienced issues with infection caused by warming blankets, call Alexander Shunnarah Trial Attorneys today.

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What is a Warming Blanket Infection?

The purpose of a warming blanket is to help maintain a patient’s body temperature during surgery. Keeping the body at proper temperature has proven to reduce bleeding, speed up recovery time, and provide other benefits. For this reason, forced-air warming systems, fluid warming systems, intravenous fluid warming, and warming blankets often are used during surgery to help maintain a patient’s body temperature as close to normal as possible.

Surgical warming blankets, such as Bair Hugger, work like a forced-air heater, pushing warm air through a hose into a blanket covering a patient. The device releases warm air over a patient’s body, but also releases air under the surgical table. The air released under the table can cause germs and bacteria to spread throughout the room, landing on a patient’s surgical site. This can cause an infection in the patient’s hip or knee, such as sepsis and Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Unfortunately, these infections are very difficult to treat when they occur deep in a patient’s joint.

Side effects of surgical warming blankets

The most serious side effects, problems and risks caused by the use of the surgical warming blankets are deep joint infections, especially in the hip and knee during replacement surgeries. Potential treatments for these infections include a combination of surgeries and antibiotic therapy. In severe cases, amputation, joint fusion, or removal and a two-stage revision surgery may be necessary. Patients who are not able to have a second surgery are usually treated with long-term antibiotics.

Explaining the Forced Air Surgical Warming Blanket Lawsuit

The forced air surgical warming blanket lawsuit states the manufacturers of warming blankets, such as Bair Hugger, knew about the increased risks of joint infections linked with the use of the warming blanket machines during hip and knee replacement surgeries, but didn’t redesign the machine to make it safer, and also did not warn healthcare providers of the infection risk. In fact, the lawsuit states the manufacturers attempted to hide and discredit any scientific research that found an increased risk of hip and knee infections with the use of the machines.

Choosing Alexander Shunnarah Trial Attorneys as your law firm can provide you with the following benefits if you’ve contracted an infection from a warming blanket:

  • Legal Knowledge about Personal Injuries
  • Negotiating Skills
  • Focus and Dedication 
  • Commitment to Compensation 
  • Motivation to Proceed with Your Claim
  • Free Consultation

Shunnarah Attorneys: Here to Help After Warming Blanket Infections

If you have suffered an infection due to the use of a warming blanket in a medical setting, Alexander Shunnarah Trial Attorneys are here to help. Our skilled legal team specializes in medical device-related injuries and understands the severe consequences that can arise from such infections.

Trust us to guide you through the legal process with compassion and determination, allowing you to focus on your recovery while we handle the complexities of your case. Contact us today for a free consultation, and let us help you secure the compensation you need to move forward.

Frequently Asked Questions

A warming blanket is a medical device used primarily in hospitals to maintain a patient’s body temperature during surgery. Although designed to reduce the risk of hypothermia, these blankets can sometimes harbor bacteria and, if not properly sterilized, may cause infections in patients. Common infections associated with warming blankets include deep joint infections, especially after surgeries like knee or hip replacements.

Yes, if you contracted an infection from a warming blanket used during your medical treatment, you might have grounds for a lawsuit. Potential claims could be based on product liability, medical negligence, or hospital malpractice, depending on the circumstances of the infection. An attorney specializing in medical device-related injuries can assess your case, help determine liability, and guide you through the legal process to seek compensation.

Compensation in warming blanket infection lawsuits typically covers medical bills, future medical treatment costs, lost wages, loss of earning capacity, pain and suffering, and sometimes punitive damages, if negligence was particularly egregious. Each case is unique, so the exact compensation will vary. An experienced attorney can provide a more precise estimate based on the specifics of your situation and the extent of the harm suffered.