Problems with Urinary Catheters

While you are a patient in a hospital, you may be hooked up to a urinary catheter in order to drain the urine from your body without you having to get up to use the bathroom. This is relatively standard procedure for patients who are bound to their hospital beds for an extended period of time. However, though this is a vital practice to keep your body healthy, it can also cause harm if the catheter is not inserted correctly or is inadequately cared for.

If you have acquired an infection or other kind of injury because of a poorly inserted or unsanitary catheter, you may be entitled to financial compensation under the law. Contact the Pennsylvania medical malpractice lawyers of Lowenthal & Abrams, P.C. at 610-667-7511 to speak with an experienced attorney regarding your case.

Potential Catheter Complications

Common complications that are typically associated with urinary catheters include the following:

• Allergic reaction to latex
• Formation of bladder stones
• Blood infections, or septicemia
• Blood in urine, or hematuria
• Kidney damage
• Injury to the urethra
• UTIs
• Kidney infections

When you are a patient, the medical staff is required to provide you with a reasonable standard of care, which means properly caring for your catheter and helping to prevent infection. If you develop a preventable injury or infection due to the catheter, you should consider pursuing legal representation.

Contact Us

If you or someone you love has suffered an infection or other injury due to catheter use in a medical facility, contact the Pennsylvania medical malpractice attorneys of Lowenthal & Abrams, P.C. at 610-667-7511 today.