Two parents who lost their 2-year-old son to a rare bacterial meningitis infection have filed a products liability lawsuit against a medical product supply manufacturer that produced alcohol wipes used during their son’s surgery. The products liability suit claims that contaminated alcohol wipes infected their son and led to a rapid infection that caused multi-organ failure. The parents assert gross negligence against the medical product supply company, and the parents seek damages.
The 2-year-old boy had undergone routine surgery to remove a benign cyst that was located near his brain and spinal cord. The toddler was recovering without issue until after one week in the hospital the young boy contracted acute bacterial meningitis. The infection quickly shut down multiple organs of the toddler and because of the organ failures the toddler passed away on December 1, 2010. The bacteria that caused the infection was Bacillus cereus, which is a bacteria that is normally found in food poisoning cases and not hospital infections.
The hospital was not able to explain the cause of the infection and the parents went without an explanation of the their son’s death for about month until they heard a recall notice supplied by the United States Food and Drug Administration. The recall notice said that millions of alcohol swabs produced by the Triad Group were being recalled because of potential exposure to Bacillus cereus.
In an interview the parents say the wipes were used multiple times each day on their son during his stay in the hospital. The hospital where the boy’s surgery was performed confirmed the use of alcohol products supplied by Triad Group. According to the FDA, the medical supply manufacturer complied correctly with government authorities in the notification process. The parents say they do not want any other parent to go through what they have and want to be sure that the public is informed on the issue.
