Meningitis Exposure Concerns from Steroid Back Injections

Meningitis Exposure Concerns from Steroid Back Injections

Meningitis Exposure Concerns from Steroid Back Injections

10/18/2012

Dear Patient,

Shasta Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine is always concerned about the health and well being of our patients. You may have heard from numerous news reports there is a potential risk of meningitis exposure to patients who have received steroid back injections. This risk of exposure is limited to a specific steroid medication manufactured by a specific pharmaceutical company, NECC Incorporated in Framingham, Massachusetts.

We want you to know that Shasta Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine has not used the particular steroid medication that is the cause for concern for meningitis exposure. Additional concerns and cautions are being reported about other products from this pharmacy. We want you to know that Shasta Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine has not used any products manufactured by NECC Incorporated.

Even though Shasta Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine has not used any of these products we ask you to report to us or the healthcare provider of your choice if you experience any symptoms of infection. The signs and symptoms of meningitis include fever, headache, stiff neck, nausea and vomiting, photophobia (sensitivity to light) and altered mental status. Symptoms for other possible infections may include fever; swelling, increasing pain, redness, warmth at injection site; visual changes, pain, redness or discharge from the eye; chest pain, or drainage from the surgical site (infection within the chest).

We hope that this information eases any concerns you may have had. If you do have any questions please feel free to call us at (530) 241-5499.

Sincerely,

Paul Schwartz, M.D.
Founding Partner