Angela suffered from
post-menopausal bleeding and a utero-vaginal prolapse
and she underwent a vaginal hysterectomy and posterior
colpoperineorrhaphy at the Royal Oldham Hospital.
The operation went well. She was
discharged after five days. Approximately four days after
her discharge from the hospital, Angela developed a high
temperature and pain in her back.
Angela consulted her general
practitioner, who diagnosed a urinary tract infection and
prescribed antibiotics.
A few weeks later Angela attended an
outpatient clinic appointment complaining of a slight vaginal
discharge. Angela slight discharge was present and a high vaginal
swab was taken but Angela was discharged back to the care of
her GP.
Over the next few weeks, the discharge
became worse so much so that she wore sanitary towels and Angela's
GP prescribed her antibiotics.
The following month Angela
experienced progressive abdominal distention and increasing vaginal
discharge and developed problems with her bowels.
A few months after that Angela found
that she could not sit down without pain and she was aware of the
feeling of a lump inside her. Her abdomen was tender and she
suffered cramping pains across the front of her lower abdomen. She
was incontinent of both urine and faeces.
She was referred to the hospital. On
rectal examination, a hard mass between the vagina and the rectum
was identified and an urgent EUA was arranged . At this
examination, a large recto-vaginal fistula was diagnosed.
A laparotomy and colostomy were
performed. Angela was informed that she would have to use the
colostomy for 6 to 8 months to allow the fistula to heal.
A number of weeks after the surgery an
object discharged from Angela's vagina. Angela noted that the
object was hard packed/compressed object like gauze, stained with
yellow/greenish pus. It was stained with faeces and smelled
similarly to the vaginal discharge.
The object was discharged
approximately 30 minutes before the visit of the district nurse.
Angela showed the item to the district nurse who told her to flush
it down the toilet.
The fistula has remained infected and
has not healed. Major abdominal surgery has been recommended, but
the complications and risk of morbidity are significant and Angela
decided that she did not wish to undergo the surgery. She will
therefore be left with her colostomy.
We were instructed by Angela's legal
expenses insurers, FirstAssist, to pursue a gynaecology claim for
negligence.
Our expert gynaecologist considered
that the most likely cause of the fistula was a retained swab.
Following extensive negotiations, on
Angela's instructions, we settled the claim in the sum of
£37,515.89 after exchange of expert evidence.
For further information or if you have
a gynaecology negligence claim
please call Paul McNeil on
020 7861 4019 or email paul.mcneil@ffw.com
You can discuss your gynaecology
negligence claim with any member of our medical negligence team on freephone
0800 358 3848, email personalinjury@ffw.com or
complete our short enquiry form.