Patient Contracts Hepatitis C After Receiving Epidural Injection

Case Overview

This case involves a thirty-eight-year-old female who recently contracted hepatitis C after she was being treated at a pain management center with epidural injections. A nurse anesthetist admitted to health officials that he reused needles and syringes to inject pain medication through intravenous tubes at the pain management clinic and at two nearby surgical centers. The defense’s claim is that some experts allege health practitioners may not be aware that reusing needles is dangerous because the needles are inserted into tubes rather than under the skin.

Questions to the Infectious Disease and Communicable Disease expert and their responses

What is the normal route of transmission of this disease?

the virus is frequently transmitted when an infected drug addict shares a hypodermic needle with an uninfected person.

is it possible that this patient contracted the virus from reused syringes?

it is possible that the plaintiff contracted hepatitis C in the manner described in the case.

About the expert

This extremely qualified infectious disease specialist has received his education and medical training from among the finest institutions in the country. Over his 25+ years of medical practice in the field of infectious diseases, he has been appointed to high ranking medical directorships of several major infectious disease programs in the west coast. He is also a fellow of the Society of Healthcare Epidemiology of America, as well as the American College of Physicians.