BBC News reports that Conservative MP Craig Mackinlay is expected to return to Parliament for the first time since suffering a life-threatening experience of sepsis which led to him having amputation of his hands and feet.
The MP woke from an induced coma to discover his limbs had turned completely black. He said they were:
“like plastic…you could almost knock them…they were black, desiccating, clenched”. They managed to save above the elbows and above the knees, so you might say I’m lucky.”
What is sepsis?
Sepsis is the immune system’s overreaction to an infection or injury. Whilst our immune system normally fights infections, sometimes it attacks the body’s own organs and tissues. This is sepsis.
Symptoms
It is important to be aware that sepsis can initially look like flu, a chest infection, or gastroenteritis. There is no one sign to look out for and the symptoms can be different for adults and children.
The word SEPSIS is used to describe the signs to look out for with sepsis in adults:
Slurred speech or confusion
Extreme shivering or muscle pain
Passing no urine (in a day)
Severe breathlessness
It feels like you’re going to die
Skin mottled or discoloured
The signs to look out for in children are if a child:
- Is breathing very fast
- Has a fit or convulsion
- Looks mottled, bluish or pale
- Has a rash that does not fade when you press it
- Is very lethargic or difficult to wake
- Feels abnormally cold to touch
The sepsis six care bundle
UK Sepsis Trust developed the ‘Sepsis Six’ care bundle.
This is a set of tasks that are to be started within one hour by non-specialist practitioners on the frontline. This includes oxygen, cultures, antibiotics, lactate measurement, and urine output monitoring.
The Sepsis Six care bundle has been shown to reduce the risk of death by 46.6% when delivered to patients with sepsis within one hour.
The importance of prompt diagnosis
Sepsis is a life-threatening emergency and it is vital that it is diagnosed and treated quickly.
The UK Sepsis Trust says that patients will have a significantly increased chance of survival if sepsis is diagnosed correctly and treated within an hour of symptoms being detected.
With early diagnosis, sepsis can be treated with antibiotics.
However, if not treated early, sepsis can turn into septic shock and cause organs to fail. Statistics show that five people die with sepsis every hour in the UK.
Sometimes, medical negligence can result in a missed or delayed diagnosis of sepsis. As outlined above, if a diagnosis is delayed at all, it could result in catastrophic consequences.
How can we help?
Burhan Alam is a Paralegal in our Medical Negligence team, which has been ranked in tier one by the independently researched publication, The Legal 500.
At Nelsons, we have an experienced team of solicitors across our offices in Derby, Leicester and Nottingham who are always happy to discuss the circumstances of your claim and advise you on whether you are likely to be successful.
Please call 0800 024 1976 or contact us via our online form for more information.
Contact us