New York residents might be interested in learning more about the surgical errors that can occur while a patient is undergoing a transplant procedure. Mistakes can expose these patients to long-term risks that include several serious health conditions that may not manifest until later on in life. Some of the serious risks commonly associated with transplant procedures include stem cells leading to a relapse of cancer or the development of secondary cancers, infertility, organ damage and other complications.
Researchers say that patients who receive stem cells for cancer treatment are 4 to 11 times more likely to develop a secondary cancer than those who do not receive the transplants. Patients who face the most risk of developing a secondary cancer are the ones who undergo the allogeneic transplants. Lymphomas, specifically the B-cell type, are the cancers most likely to develop within a few months of receiving the transplant.
When procedures like the allogeneic transplant suppress the patient’s immune system with prescriptions, the Epstein-Bar virus that causes the cancer is more likely to develop. Acute leukemia and myelodysplastic syndrome, a bone marrow disorder, may also develop years after a stem cell transplant. Cancer may relapse anytime from a few months to five years after a patient undergoes a stem cell transplant. Medicines used in transplant procedures may cause long-term damage to vital organs or the central nervous system as well.
People who have suffered injuries caused by errors committed during a medical procedure might benefit from consulting legal counsel. Lawyers might be equipped to investigate the incident and help identify any of the parties who may be liable for ensuing damages. Legal counsel may be able to help injured patients recover restitution that can help account for corrective procedures, rehabilitation therapy and other hardships caused by surgical errors.
