Diseases Related to Blood Transfusions
A blood transfusion – the surgical replacement of blood in the body – is an often necessary, life-saving medical procedure. Transfusions are commonly used for patients who have suffered severe injuries, causing them to lose massive amounts of blood, or for patients suffering from blood diseases. Because tainted blood can carry dangerous infections, doctors take care to collect only healthy blood. Because of modern medical technology, the risk of infection from blood transfusions is quite rare.
Unfortunately, however, some infected blood does get through inspections, posing a potential danger to patients. If you or someone you love has received tainted blood in a transfusion, you may be entitled to financial compensation. Contact the Pennsylvania medical malpractice attorneys of Lowenthal & Abrams, P.C., today by calling 610-667-7511.
Common Blood Related Diseases
Tragically, despite advances in medical technology, blood transfusion errors still occur. Some of the diseases most commonly associated with transfusions include:
- Hepatitis B, a disease that can cause inflammation of the liver, vomiting, and jaundice. While it is often defeated naturally by the body, it sometimes can become chronic and aggressive, causing cirrhosis and liver cancer.
- Hepatitis C, which is more resilient than Hepatitis B, is difficult to treat, and can lead to fibrosis (liver scarring), cirrhosis (heavy liver scarring), and liver cancer.
- HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus), which leads to AIDS, is the break-down of the body’s autoimmune system. While not fatal itself, HIV opens the door for opportunistic infection and diseases that the body cannot effectively fight in its weakened state.
Contact
If you’ve developed a disease as the result of an unsafe blood transfusion, it is important that you fight for your rights. To discuss your case in more detail, contact the Pennsylvania medical malpractice lawyers of Lowenthal & Abrams, P.C., today by calling 610-667-7511.