Question: Two years ago. I was admitted to the hospital with a ruptured disk at my C5 vertebrae. There were numerous complications from the surgery. The largest of which was infection and sepsis. The original infection manifested itself at the surgical site and required immediate emergency surgery. The incision had become infected and a washout surgery was done. Two weeks later, another wash out surgery was required and a muscle flap was done at the surgical site.

A very large seroma developed that spanned the entire length of my shoulders and half the distance between my neck and waist. I had a pick line and was receiving IV antibiotics. Within a couple of weeks, a sore manifested about halfway down the scar that opened. Within a few days that sore had opened to the size of a softball. I was immediately hospitalized and numerous test were done attempting to identify the bacteria that was causing the sepsis. They were never able to identify anything that would explain the infections.

At the conclusion of the first surgery, a catheter was inserted. During the process of inserting the catheter, my urinary track was compromised and there was a significant amount of blood that covered my surgical gown. A urologist was called in to insert the catheter, there was great concern that my prostate gland was also injured.

Since that surgery. I have had more than 10 surgeries all related to infections The hardware placed during the original surgery had to be removed. I have been hospitalized with pneumonia and other infection related problems. Ultimately, I had to endure several weeks of bariatric chamber treatments. All along, no bacteria was ever discovered in my blood work.

Now, I am having problems with a titanium knee that seems to have come loose. My question is this: do you think my sepsis was caused by the catheter insertion process. I have been doing a good bit of reading and it seems that the general consensus about UTI's and problems with catheters is very common. I believe that I also read that it is not at all uncommon for bacteria related to sepsis caused by UTI's to remain unidentifiable. Could you please shed some light on this subject.

Thank you for you answer. I wish I could get a clear and concise answer from a treating doctor but that apparently will never happen. I learned that a culture taken early on in the process was positive for S Maltophelia. It is my understanding that S Maltophelia could very likely have entered my body where the catheter was placed. Is it completely unreasonable to think that if there was a traumatic injury to the urinary track and a culture was positive for S. Maltophelia that it most likely entered my body through the urinary track.