An Iowa family blames doctors for the death of their father after saying that their medical team had not given vital antibiotics.
Steve Schwarz, 67, underwent vertebral surgery in March 2020 to treat back pain, but two months later, he returned to the hospital with red swollen skin.
Doctors have diagnosed with SCMR, or staphylococcus aureus resistant to methicillin, a serious bacterial infection resistant to many antibiotics which infect around 80,000 Americans per year.
They prescribed it the powerful Doxycycline Antibiotic, which is used to kill bacteria, and returned it to a hospital care house with instructions to continue to receive doses – generally given by injection – for two to three months.
But, says the trial, his doctor at home, Dr. Michelle Sprengelmeyer at the Cedar Manor in Iowa, did not follow the instructions and interrupted his drugs – allowing Mr. Schwarz’s infection to spread and to deteriorate quickly.
When he was transported urgently to hospital three weeks later, the doctors were shocked by the way in which his infection had progressed. They contacted the House of Care and realized that he had not received his medication.
He was transferred to palliative care at the hospital and died four days later on June 22, 2020.
His case was revealed at the end of last year after his daughter, Heather Barrett, continued the doctors for her treatment. Although it was not tried that Mr. Schwarz’s death was directly caused by not obtaining DoxycyCline, a jury granted him $ 1.65 million in damage
In the photo above, Steve Schwarz, 67, with his daughter Heather Barrett. The former welder died after the doctors arrested antibiotics for his serious bacterial infection
He is represented again above his daughter. His family won $ 1.65 million in damages following a trial
MRSA is a serious bacterial infection that afflicts many hospitals due to the intensive use of antibiotics and vulnerable patients.
It kills around 11,000 Americans each year, or just over eight infected.
But the infection can be eliminated with meticulous monitoring and the use of powerful antibiotics.
Studies suggest that around 80% of patients treated for SRM after column surgery have survived.
Symptoms often start like an swollen, red and painful injury which is warm and painful to the touch and is accompanied by a fever.
Mr. Schwarz’s daughter described his father as “prospering” when he arrived at the care home and expected him at home within two weeks. But instead, his condition began to decrease quickly.
Her daughter, Ms. Barrett, described her father as “prosperous” and someone who regularly rolls mountain bikes and would make trips on the road
Mr. Schwarz contracted bacteria after being admitted to the hospital for column surgery
Ms. Barrett told the local media kwwl.com: “ When it was finally transferred (at the hospital), experts in infectious diseases of hospitals at Iowa University were shocked to have interrupted his Antibiotic and that no one had followed his southern diagnosis.
“We did not learn it at that time and literally, I think it was an hour or two later … My father was placed in palliative care.”
She added in a press release: “It is difficult to reason that a common infection has dropped (my father). He went up on mountain biking, jumped into his car for trips en route across the country to surprise us (in California).
“He was a strong and active man who was barely starting to take advantage of his retirement.
“We thought he was receiving the care he needed after surgery. It didn’t make sense that he did not improve.
“It was too late when we discovered that the infection was not treated with antibiotics. It was horrible, my father deserved better care.
Mr. Schwarz is very much lacking in his family and friends
The lawyer for his daughter, Anthony Bribriesco of the law firm of Briberseco, said: “We are happy that the jury held Dr. Spregelmeyer responsible.
“During the preparation of this case, we learned that the overall success rate of the treatment of vertebral infection involving equipment with suppressive antibiotics is almost 80%.
“A simple and well -known treatment of antibiotics would have saved Steve’s life.”
Over time, if the STM is not treated, bacteria can spread to blood circulation and reach vital organs like the heart, where it can cause endocarditis – when the lining and the valves of the heart arise.
It can also trigger sepsis, a potentially fatal condition where the immune system reacts too much to an infection and causes the bodies to close.
Dailymail.com contacted Dr. Sprengelmeyer and Cedar Manor to comment before the publication, but did not receive an answer.
