SAN ANTONIO – A woman described the actions of the Metropolitan Methodist Hospital Downtown as gross negligence after she was told unsanitary tools were used during her recent surgery.
Lisa Decker went to the Metropolitan Methodist Hospital Downtown Saturday for what was supposed to be a routine surgical procedure. She said what happened to her during the procedure is something that will haunt her for life.
“For the next 90 days, my quality of life is just out the window. I have no quality of life,” she said. “I don’t know from one day to the next if I'm going to come up with some type of infectious disease that's not curable or that's going to affect my life for the rest of my life."
Decker was told 24 hours after her surgery that the operating team used unsterilized, unsanitized instruments. Medical records that she picked up Thursday indicate, however, that the staff was made aware of the mistake an hour after the surgery.
"I had an anxiety attack the night that I was told this. I’m not sleeping at night,” Decker said.
Hospital staff kept Decker in the hospital an extra day and started her on a heavy dose of antibiotics. They also tested her for any infectious diseases she may have contracted or to which she may have been exposed.
Although initial tests came back negative, Decker will need to be tested again in 30 days and then in 90 days. She said hospital staff has not been in contact with her about further testing or anything at all.
"I’m in the dark right now. I don’t know what to do. I'm just a single mother trying to make a living. That is now with my life. I don't know what I'm exposed to,” Decker said.
Methodist Healthcare System released a statement Thursday saying:
“Methodist Healthcare’s number one priority is the safety and well-being of our patients. All our surgical equipment goes through various stages of intense, high heat sterilization phases to ensure absolute cleanliness. This includes a 45-minute wash cycle with an anti-microbial solution. If we suspect one of the sterilization phases may have been compromised, we will immediately disclose this information to our patient in the interest of full disclosure and honesty. We will then follow proper infection prevention protocol, which includes monitoring the patient to ensure their well-being during a specific length of time.”