Tragic Turn: Steve Schwarz Dies from Skin Infection After Spinal Surgery

A Tragic Tale of Medical Negligence:

Have you ever encountered stories of medical errors leading to unexpected and fatal consequences? If not, the following account may be both surprising and distressing.

The Surgery and Initial Recovery:

Steve Schwarz, a 67-year-old man from Iowa, underwent spinal surgery in March 2020 to alleviate persistent back pain. According to the Daily Mail, the procedure was initially a success, and Schwarz seemed to recover without any issues. However, two months later, he returned to the hospital with symptoms of red, swollen skin.

The Diagnosis and Treatment Plan:

Upon examination, doctors diagnosed Schwarz with MRSA (Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus), a dangerous and hard-to-treat bacterial infection. To combat the infection, they prescribed doxycycline, a strong antibiotic that is typically administered through injection. Schwarz was transferred to an inpatient care facility, with instructions to continue the antibiotic treatment for two to three months.

Failure to Follow the Treatment Plan:

The Schwarz family claims that Dr. Michelle Sprengelmeyer, the physician at Cedar Manor care facility in Iowa, did not follow the prescribed treatment plan. Instead of continuing the antibiotic therapy, Dr. Sprengelmeyer reportedly discontinued the medication, allowing the MRSA infection to spread unchecked, causing Schwarz's condition to deteriorate rapidly.

The Deterioration and Final Days:

Three weeks later, Schwarz was readmitted to the hospital, where doctors were shocked to see how advanced the infection had become. They contacted the care home and discovered that Schwarz had not received the antibiotics as instructed. After being transferred to hospice care at the hospital, Steve Schwarz passed away four days later, on June 22, 2020.

The Schwarz family, devastated by the loss, is holding the medical professionals accountable for failing to administer the necessary life-saving antibiotics.

Legal Action and Aftermath:

The case gained widespread attention after Heather Barrett, Schwarz's daughter, filed a lawsuit against the doctors involved in her father's care. Although the court did not determine that Schwarz's death was directly caused by the lack of doxycycline, a jury awarded Barrett $1.65 million in damages, citing that her father did not receive the appropriate care.

Barrett described her father as a healthy, active individual who arrived at the care home expecting to be home within two weeks. Unfortunately, his condition worsened instead of improving. Speaking to KWWL.com, Barrett recalled, “When he was transferred to the hospital, the infectious disease specialists were stunned to find out that his antibiotics had been discontinued, and there was no follow-up on his MRSA diagnosis. We didn’t know this until that moment, and just hours later, my dad was placed on hospice care.”

She continued, “It’s hard to comprehend how a common infection could have caused my dad's death. He was a strong, active man who enjoyed road trips and outdoor activities. We thought he was receiving the proper care after surgery. It didn’t make sense why he wasn’t getting better. It was devastating to find out too late that his infection wasn’t being treated. My father deserved much better care.”

Attorney Anthony Bribriesco, representing Barrett, emphasized the significance of the case, saying, “We are pleased that Dr. Sprengelmeyer was held accountable. In preparing for this case, we discovered that the success rate for treating spinal infections with antibiotics is nearly 80%. A simple, well-known treatment could have saved Steve’s life.”

What is MRSA?

MRSA, which stands for Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, is a strain of bacteria that resists treatment from several commonly used antibiotics. It is responsible for a variety of serious infections that are challenging to treat. MRSA is often found in hospital settings, where vulnerable patients are at risk. In the U.S., MRSA infects about 80,000 people annually and causes around 11,000 deaths. It was also linked to more than 100,000 deaths worldwide in 2019 due to antimicrobial resistance.

Although MRSA is a serious infection, it can be treated effectively with the proper use of antibiotics. Studies show that approximately 80% of patients who develop MRSA infections following spinal surgery survive when they receive the correct treatment.

Symptoms and Complications of MRSA:

The early signs of MRSA include a swollen, red, painful wound that is warm to the touch, often accompanied by a fever. If left untreated, the infection can spread into the bloodstream, reaching critical organs like the heart, where it can cause endocarditis, an inflammation of the heart’s lining and valves.

MRSA can also lead to sepsis, a life-threatening condition where the body’s response to infection overwhelms the immune system, causing multiple organs to shut down.

References:

1. Daily Mail. "Iowa Father Dies after Doctors Failed to Administer Antibiotics for Bacterial Infection." Daily Mail, February 1, 2025. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-14284721/iowa-father-dies-doctors-failed-antibiotics-bacterial-infection-NEW.html.

(Input from various sources)

(Rehash/Sai Sindhuja K/MSM)