Most people who go in for an epidural steroid injection are thinking about one thing: finally getting relief from the back pain that has been grinding them down for months. They trust the process. They trust the doctor. And the vast majority of the time, the procedure goes as planned. But sometimes it does not. And when it goes wrong in a specific, preventable way, the consequences can be catastrophic. Spinal meningitis is an infection of the membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord that can put someone in a coma and leave them with permanent vision loss or brain damage.
If a doctor failed to follow proper sterile protocol and the patient suffered as a result, a medical malpractice lawsuit may be warranted. If you or someone you love came home from a back injection and ended up in the emergency room days later, you need to understand exactly what may have gone wrong and why the law may be on your side.
What Is an Epidural Steroid Injection?
An epidural steroid injection, or ESI, is a medical procedure where a doctor guides a needle into the space around the spinal cord to deliver medication that reduces inflammation and pain. That space is supposed to stay a closed, sterile system, similar to how a sealed water line stays clean as long as nothing punctures it. When something goes wrong during that procedure, whether from a technique error or a hospital’s failure to catch the warning signs afterward, families may have a valid medical malpractice claim.
Before the needle goes anywhere near the injection spot, usually the lower spine, the doctor is supposed to follow a strict disinfection protocol: sterile draping, a chlorhexidine scrub of the injection site, and meticulous attention to keeping the field clean. Chlorhexidine is the heavy-duty antiseptic that kills the bacteria that live in that region of the body, including fecal bacteria that can cause devastating infections if they reach the spinal canal.
When a doctor cuts corners on that protocol, or rushes through it, or neglects to maintain the sterile field properly, the resulting contamination can lead to a catastrophic outcome for the patient.
How Does Meningitis Develop After an Injection?
Two things can go wrong during an epidural injection that turn a routine pain procedure into a life-threatening emergency.
The first is a breach of sterile technique. Bacteria from the skin surface or the surrounding area contaminates the needle or the injection site before the needle is even inserted.
The second, and often more serious, is when the needle penetrates too far and pierces the protective membrane that wraps around the spinal cord. Once pierced, there is a direct route for microorganisms to enter the spinal cord areas where cerebrospinal fluid circulates, which can lead to meningitis.
Meningitis is a potentially life-threatening infection that develops in the tissues surrounding the brain and spinal cord. As the infection takes hold, pressure builds inside the brain, and that is when the headaches begin and the patient ends up in the emergency room. These headaches can be so severe, so sudden, and so different from anything the patient has experienced before that it is sometimes described as the worst pain of their life.
This medical emergency must be diagnosed and treated aggressively. Bacterial meningitis will kill or permanently injure the patient if it is not treated with intravenous antibiotics right away. Choosing to wait, assuming it is probably just a steroid reaction, or failing to call in the right consult, can allow the bacterial infection to progress unchecked. The patient can lapse into a coma. Permanent brain damage can follow. Blind spots, cognitive impairment, and other neurological injuries may become lifelong realities.
What To Do After a Medical Procedure Goes Wrong
While no one wants to think about talking to a lawyer or dealing with even more paperwork while a loved one is working hard on their recovery, it is important to seek the guidance of a law firm that handles personal injury lawsuits. At Levin, Riback & Adelman, our understanding and caring lawyers will start working to collect medical records and physical evidence, obtain names and statements from witnesses, and preserve your legal rights to file a claim when you are ready.
If you or someone in your family went in for a routine back injection near Rush University Medical Center, Northwestern Memorial, or anywhere else in the Chicago area, and came out the other side with a meningitis diagnosis, a coma, or permanent neurological damage, please reach out to us. Contact Levin, Riback & Adelman and you will speak to an experienced trial attorney immediately if you call during business hours. We won’t pass you off to an intake person or a call service.
We understand the reality of your situation, and we will oversee what needs to be done to secure your rights while you tend to your family and healing. Your time with the lawyer is completely free, and you only pay lawyer fees if we win money for you. Let us help you secure your financial future despite the medical expenses and continuing care.