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Medical Negligence as Surgical equipment left inside patient's body

If you undergo an operation, you don’t consider for a second that surgical equipment may be left inside you that shouldn’t be, such as swabs, unplanned screws or even larger equipment like forceps. However, this can and does happen and unfortunately it is all too common an occurrence.

In fact, the BBC have today reported that there have been 99 cases in the last 2 years where vaginal swabs have been left inside women who have just given birth. The National Patient Safety Agency has issued guidance to NHS Trusts across England and Wales, urging them to take extra care in counting and recording the number of swabs used.

Of course, this problem is not unique to the NHS and can also occur if you have had a private surgical procedure. It is not a new problem and despite safeguards being put in place to try to prevent this from happening such as instrument counts being carried out in the operating theatre, the problem has clearly not been fully resolved.

Leaving these surgical items inside a patient’s body can cause the patient a whole range of problems and symptoms. Infections and pain are a common consequence, as is requiring further surgery to remove the unwanted object and requiring a longer stay in hospital than originally planned.

The sad case of Iris Cole has been reported by the Daily Mail. Mrs Cole underwent surgery to remove part of her appendix and gall bladder at the Southend Hospital in August 2007. It wasn’t until 9 months later, when she was readmitted to the hospital suffering with pains and fever that an x-ray revealed the surgical gauze which had been left inside of her which had caused an abscess to form. She underwent an operation to remove it but unfortunately, she never fully recovered and had to have further surgery to remove part of her bowel. She tragically died shortly afterwards and Mrs Cole’s family pursued a claim for compensation against the hospital, which settled out of Court.

If you have suffered any illness or required surgery as a result of surgical instruments being left inside you following an operation, then you may have a claim for clinical negligence.

Clinical negligence Compensation Claims

Please contact us for advice if you feel you have suffered any form of clinical negligence. Please note that there are strict time limits in place for making a claim for compensation, but our specialist clinical negligence solicitors will be able to advise you specifically on the facts of your own case.

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