Our client, a 56 year old woman, from Herne Bay, Kent, underwent a laparoscopic cholecystectomy at the Kent and Canterbury Hospital.
Unfortunately, during the course of the operation, a perforation of the bowel was caused and went unnoticed. Our client was therefore discharged home the same day.
However, by the early hours of the following morning she was suffering with severe abdominal pain and was readmitted to hospital. An exploratory operation confirmed the perforated bowel, was converted to a laparotomy, and resulted in the bowel injury being repaired.
Our client then, however, suffered a large hernia in the scar line from the revision surgery and this required further surgery and a lengthy course of treatment to resolve. Eventually, though, our client recovered well.
The claim was partially admitted by the Defendant, the East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust, (for failing to identify the bowel injury (rather than for causing the bowel injury), and following negotiation settlement was agreed in the sum of £33,500.
Alex Tengroth, who has conduct of the claim, commented:
“Our client was very happy with the settlement achieved in this case. She was also delighted with the eventual resolution of her abdominal and bowel problems and is looking forward to getting her life back on track.”