MRSA in C-Section Wound

May 13th, 2007 · 18 Comments

This is a story of a woman who acquired MRSA in her C-section wound. Remember these tips when you go into the hospital for any invasive procedure.

I had a baby March 2, 2007. I was is surgery for 3 hours due to excessive bleeding. On March 5th I was released, but the night before that I was have chills and got very sick. I was released but that night I went into emergency (Now it’s March 6th). I had a fever, green fluid leaking from my wound, and a left swollen leg. My ob decided to do nothing and just sent me back home. I layed in bed sick all day, and finally that night I called my ob and told him how high my fever was and how sick I was. He told me that it was because my breast were engorged (I was not breastfeeding). I went to sleep (Now it’s March 7th) I woke up at 3:30 with blood and green fluid all over me and my bed, I screamed for my mom to help and she rushed me to the hospital. My ob came to the ER with the doctor he operated on me with. They opened my wound back up, took a biopsy, and packed it with gauze and admitted me on triple anti-biotics. Later that day tests revealed I had MRSA. I was put in a room by myself, and I was extremely sick. They swiched my anti-biotic to vancomyicin through IV and flagyl by mouth. After a week my temp was still very high, they decided to do x-rays. They found a mass of fluid inside my body (behind my wound). I had a procedure done where they stuck a tube in and removed the fluid, the fluid also turned out to be MRSA. Finally I started getting better. A couple days after I finished my anti-biotics that I was sent home with (zyvox and flagyl) I was back in the emergency room because my mom noticed green in my wound and we could smell an odor coming from it, I was now put on bactrum. My mom had to pack my wound for weeks once I was released from the hospital, so she was put at risk for getting MRSA, and I was told this is something I will now have for the rest of my life. I was also sent to wound care regularly and Infectious Disease as well as appointments with my ob. [source]

She is looking for an attorney to take her case, but most of them won’t touch them, partially because you sign away your rights to litigate for infection by signing a document accepting infection as a known risk when you check in. What can be done about that? No idea here. My mother had a hernia surgery last week, and it just made me ill when the nurse read that to her and made her sign it.

18 responses so far ↓

DEBBIE // May 23, 2007 at 12:07 pm

My dad too got MRSA in a hospital in Tucson, Arizona and died 2.5 months later after abdominal surgery. I also would like to sue, because getting an infection postop opposed to getting MRSA is a totally different life-threatening infection. I would like to sue the hospital for poor hygiene, etc and the health care workers not doing protocol hand washing/sanitizing.
Sage // May 31, 2007 at 12:51 pm

Just thought I’d let you all know that you do not HAVE to sign anything. Simply cross out what you do not agree to and then sign it. Just because someone puts something into a contract doesn’t mean you have to accept it. I don’t really go to the hospital but the couple of times I have or even to the doctor I simply cross out what I don’t agree to. It’s simple really.
Sallie // Jul 8, 2007 at 4:37 pm

I have a friend who has resitent mrsa from a past surgery where something was left in her body from the surgery. They tried to drain the wound and they think the infection has become the consistency of jello. We need to find a super specialist asap. She has under gone numerous rounds of vancomycin. Would appreciate any names of specialist.
Ashley // Jul 12, 2007 at 3:36 pm

I just had a son by c-section 4 weeks ago. Before we left the hospital I noticed my son’s left eye was infected, and he had two knots on his head. I told the pediatrician at the hospital and she “assured” me that this was normal. After a few days at home and nothing getting better, only worse I took him to a different pediatrician. She did a culture on his eye and it came back MRSA. For safety precaution she also did a culture on my 14 month old daughter…which also came back possitive for MRSA. Then it was my turn…guess what..positive. Now we’re all off of our medication, but I cant help worrying over every little thing. I now have a UTI and i’m scared to death that it’s caused by MRSA. I dont have any boils or blisters…no fever…but I have a terrible head ache and the UTI. My ob wont even talk to me about it and in fact refused to do the culture in the first place ( my childs pediatrician ended up having to do it.) Please help….any comments or suggestions would be helpful. Also, if you know if I should take any special precautions for disinfecting my house(if necessary) please let me know.
Finch // Jul 12, 2007 at 5:34 pm

In response to Ashley: MRSA will colonize in you nose and will require you and all family members to use bactroban nasally to eradicate it. But, this is quickly becoming a community acquired organism. In other words, you could reinfect yourself they day you eradicate it. The best of all practices to teach your family is to not pick their nose, or rub their eyes (that’s how you inoculate yourself in the first place with all microbes). Have a tube of bactroban for all cuts in the house. Encourage handwashing - #1 way to prevent infection. Keep nails short. Have sanitizing foam in every room and encourage family members to use. Lastly, remember to keep your immune system strong - eat protein and green vegetables etc., the sick, very young and old are most susceptible. Remember, medicine is a practice - there are many bad and good practioners. It’s impossible to know it all in medicine. Find the doc that fits you (Preferably an infection disease specialist) and never be afraid to get another opinion. - Sincerely, just a wound care nurse
Tammy // Oct 12, 2007 at 7:56 am

Hi. Just wantted to say How great this site is. I was dx with MRSA last week and I have learned more about it on line then with my own Doc And would like to learn more. So if anyone would like to share info with me that would be great. I need as much info as I can get (well I think we all need as much as we can get). Plus I all so have Crohns disease and a blood clot disease call factor 5( Think I am falling apart:) Like I said i am new to this disease so any and all info would be great so please if you would like to talk e-mail me Or I.m me . And again I think sites like this are great. With out them many well at least me would be lost. Doctors look at me like I have 10 head give me med witch are CLINDAMYCIN,CIPROFLOXACIN and a ointment called MUPIROCIN. does this sound rigth to anyone? Please if it does not let me know And tells me the boilel i have looks like someone stabed me (Thanks doc : ). so that tells you how much help he is . So THANK YOU all for the help you have given me PLEASE e-mail me@ blubee66@yahoo.com or BlueeBee66@aol.com Have a good Day
KARLA // Oct 19, 2007 at 12:15 am

All this really scares me. My Dad died from complications after surgery (thats what they called it) I call it MRSA. Who could believe in a op room my father would get MRSA. Just today my son brought home a letter saying that there are 2 kids in his jr high with Mrsa! What should I do, I need to protect the rest of my family from this deadly infection!
Besh // Mar 6, 2008 at 3:44 am

I got MRSA from a c-section, too. It has been a year and a half and my husband, baby, and I cannot get rid of it. We treat it with antibiotics and nose medicine and a few months later it reappears as an abscess on our thighs or butts. It is really scary to think this could affect us the rest of our lives. Will I have to worry every time my daughter gets a scratch?
Deanna // Mar 10, 2008 at 11:31 am

I had a baby on dec 10,2007 via c-section. After they took my dressing off there was a foul oder and alot of drainage. The hospital nor the doctors did anything about it. They told me it was normal. When I went for my staple removal a week later, my incision came back open. When it did all this nasty looking fluid came out. They put me on antibiotics for a week, and sent nurses out to pack my wound every day. Well here we are in march and I still havent healed. And I just started going to a wound clinic. They cultured it and told me that the infection I have, that has never went away is MRSA. I found out from family friends that was at the hospital, that when they took me into OR the nurses broke sterile field several times. One nurse came out and closed all the doors to the OR with her sterile gown and gloves on and she came right back to my table and kept working without changing them. They never cleaned my stomach before cutting me. I have consulted an attorny and he said that they are responsible because they were neglegent. But it doesnt change the fact that I have to deal with extremly painful dressing changes everyday, or the fact that I have MRSA now.
kim // May 20, 2008 at 4:02 pm

i had a c-section april 18th 2008 i was o.k untill the 8th day after the surgery i had noticed a red bump on my stomache above the incision by the way the incision was healed and closed anyway after i noticed the red bump the next day my whole stomache was inflamed and painfull i had a high fever so the obgyn opened the incision and some fluid had drained,so i was discharged and told to go and get my packing changed daily the part he had opened was not even an inch,the next day iwas getting the packing changed and the nurse informed me i had an even bigger opening that had to be packed apparently the rest of the incision had bust open because there was so much fluid inside of me as time went on i was put on antibiotics and finshed but realized i was not getting better i was then swabbed at the site of my wound and later found out i have mrsa i was shocked i have not ever heard of this and the only way i figure i got this is by the surgery
MRSA Cured // Jun 3, 2008 at 2:40 pm

I had a C-Section with my daughter on October 11, 2005.. Left the hospital feeling great, only to have a boil underneath the left side of my incision a few days later. I had no job, no money, and no insurance, but I had a strong feeling it was MRSA. I skipped over all the topical creams and after about a week of the oozing, itching, and burning - I sprayed the sucker with regular Lysol - It dried up the very next day!! Have had NO recurrances of it since and I’m now pregnant with my 2nd child due in January and I’ll never forget my Lysol “cure”. I hope this helps someone.
julie // Oct 10, 2008 at 8:05 am

the story above, about the woman with the c-section, i have the SAME exact story…i am thinking about finding an atty as well.
Jennifer // Oct 16, 2008 at 12:03 pm

This happened to me too. I had a c-section in 2007, had a very high fever and intense pain in the incision, nothing was done until I collapsed on the 3rd day trying to walk to the bathroom twice. All of my vitals were going crazy and was sent to ICU. It was mrsa in my blood and breast milk. I was put on vanco and other drugs. A week later I ended up have 4 additional surgeries and was put on a wound vac, while still on IV vanco. My baby also ended up with mrsa on his skin and was being treated with iv meds in the NIC unit. When I was released, I went home with the vacuum on and IV meds, luckily my baby came home healthy and remained healthy. After the vacuum, I had to pack myself still on Iv’s and a newborn at home and nurses coming every day. 3 mths later, the same thing happened to me.
MRSA is extremely scary and before it happened to me I never heard of it!
Jennifer // Oct 16, 2008 at 12:03 pm

It happened to me too
Keri // Jan 21, 2010 at 8:26 pm

I had MRSA w/ c-section in 2004, after meds and packing it for 4 months I thought I was cured. WRONG! In 2006 had another c-section and it happened again! They said it had still been in my body this whole time. All from the Dr./hospital. it is now 2010 and am having a c-section in April. I am so… scared about the out come of MRSA. Does the Lysol thing really work?
Melody // Jan 24, 2010 at 6:34 pm

I just had my 4th baby boy on Jan 4, 2010 and am now dealing with MRSA and so worried about my other kids and my new baby that was premature. I am brestfeeding and was even told by my ob that did my c-section that it can’t be transmitted in brestmilk but yet is this true? I am so worried about how this will effect my life with being a mom and working. I also am wondering how it will effect my life with wanting to try later for a baby girl if my boyfriend and I really would like to try some time down the road. I just wonder how I got it and where? Why is it that now I am on a wound vac and could I have even gotten it from the puppy that my boyfriend brought home just a few months ago or what! I am so going to be spending so much time on learning about this stupd infection that life is intrersting and could this stupid thing make it so I could get disability cause if that is the case I will do that so that I can spend most of my time on my project in life of helping other new moms to be and dads with learing to be good parents and knowing about resorces for things that they need for baby. I am just wondering if any one knows others sites that could help with learing about this and how to deal with it? If you do and want to please Email me at MY_moma_kitty@yahoo.com and let me know about it!
Keri // Feb 1, 2010 at 2:15 pm

Melody… I would not breastfeed. I had it in my body for 3 yrs. they thought it was gone and I had another c-section and it showed up again. My dr. told me I could not breastfeed due to the medication. So I would check into that. I doubt you would get any money if you sued. because you would havea hard time proving how you got it. Also there are papers you sign at the hospita; that pretty much covers them. I looked into it. because I was very sick for so long and thats what they told me. I guess MRSA is now so wide spread that its hard to prove you got it form the hospital. Good Luck!
Elizabeth // Feb 8, 2010 at 4:53 am

I had a c section jan 23 2010, 3 days later they took out the staples and the OB and RN who looked at my wound said it looked real good. I was discharged home and thought my wound was taking its normal healing process, it was very painful and uncomfortable. On day 4 postpartum, I noticed I was having slight drainage of blood tinged pus, then on day 5 and 6 it was brown serous fluid I believe but no real foul smelling odor, just that of blood. At 1 week postpartum, I woke up with excessive drainage of fluid on my panty and pajamas, and was in excruciating pain. My husband took me to urgent care right away and the OB told me my wound was infected and that he needed to open it back up, drain the fluid and then pack the wound. I cried. He cultured the wound, and prescribed me with antibiotics. I went to the wound clinic where nurses continued the dressing changes packing and dressing my wound. At 2 weeks postpartum, the urgent care physician called me and told me that my wound was Positive for MRSA, and that the previous antibiotics I was on will not work against the infection and that I needed to start taking clindamycin, but I am breastfeeding and I am extremely concerned with the safety of taking those antibiotics, and about MRSA and if I can pass to my baby, which I would like to learn more about. The urgent care MD told me there has only been a few isolated known cases where the newborn developed diarrhea and such, but I am also worried about passing MRSA to my baby..
sign
concerned mama

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