If you are a patient undergoing continuous intravenous treatments, your medical team may recommend the use of a port catheter to make chemo treatments, blood transfusions, and IV treatments easier and more comfortable. Because port catheters are implants in the body, there may be complications associated with this medical device. If you have run into complications with your port catheter, you may need to hire a port catheter lawyer.
Port Catheters: Three Potential Complications of Having a Port Removed
1. Blood Clots and Air Bubbles
There are several medical risks associated with installing and removing a port catheter. One of the biggest risks is the potential of a blood clot forming in a vein the catheter is connected to. A blood clot can be a serious medical issue since untreated blood clots can cause strokes, thrombosis, and even sudden death.
Other complications can include a collapsed lung or an embolism, which is an air bubble that is trapped in a blood vessel. Both of these complications can be potentially life-threatening or may have a detrimental effect on your ongoing health.
2. Damaged Port
Another risk is having a damaged port catheter. In particular, ports can be poorly constructed, cracked, or damaged during installation. Any damage to a port catheter can potentially expose your body to infection or can allow your treatment to travel to other areas of the body. A damaged port can also sometimes necessitate a replacement, which can prolong your recovery time or postpone your medically necessary treatments.
3. Improper Placement and Removal
Improper replacement and removal of a port can also increase your risk of complications. For example, if a port is placed improperly and cannot connect to the vein, it can cause a follow-up treatment to correct the improper installation. If the port catheter is removed improperly, it can damage the vein and increase your risk of forming a blood clot, bruise, or other medical condition.
Ask a Port Catheter Lawyer: What Type of Case Do You Have?
If you have run into trouble with a port catheter, you may need to bring your case to port catheter lawsuit lawyers who can assess the type of case you have. Because a port catheter is a medical device, it generally falls into two areas of personal injury law: medical malpractice and product liability. You must understand the type of case you have so you can collect relevant evidence and hold the liable parties responsible for your injuries.
Medical Malpractice
Your port catheter case may qualify as medical malpractice if your doctor improperly placed or removed the port in such a way that your health was harmed. For example, if a port was improperly installed or removed and this led to a blood clot, a skin infection, or other infection, you may have a case for medical malpractice.
This is particularly true if there was evidence of negligence related to your case, such as a physician not using sterile tools or someone who is not a qualified medical professional installing your port catheter.
Product Liability
You may have a product liability case if your port catheter was damaged prior to installation or damaged through no fault of your own. For example, if you have a port catheter installed and the next day there are visible cracks or the port isn’t functioning properly, this could be a sign that the port catheter was damaged due to manufacturing errors. In this case, the liable party is not the doctor, but the company that made the medical device.
Combination
Your case may be a combination of medical malpractice and product liability if there is evidence of medical negligence and negligence in the manufacturing of your medical device. For example, if the manufacturer of the port catheter has a history of manufacturing errors and if your doctor did not install your port catheter correctly, you could have a case where multiple parties are liable for your injuries.
What Is the Statute of Limitations for These Cases?
In Missouri, the statute of limitations for a medical malpractice case is two years from the date of the injury or from the date the injury was noticed. Two years gives you ample time to gather medically relevant information, recover from your injuries, and file a lawsuit.
If your case was related to product liability, you will have up to five years to file a lawsuit for a damaged port catheter that harmed your health. When this happens, you will need to provide evidence that the medical device was not damaged due to any actions you took.
If you have been injured due to the improper placement, removal, or manufacturing of a port catheter, you may be entitled to file a personal injury lawsuit to recover compensation for your medical bills and suffering. A port catheter lawyer can assess your case and help you collect evidence so you can win your settlement.