29th March 2019
Our client, a 60 year old man from Ramsgate, Kent, suffered an attack of severe abdominal pain in April 2014 and attended the QEQM Hospital Margate where he was admitted and monitored for a few days. An out patient ultrasound scan was then arranged to investigate his gallbladder.
That ultrasound scan was performed a couple of weeks later and it identified gallstones, such that our client was diagnosed as having suffered an episode of gallstone pancreatitis. However, no further follow up or treatment was organised.
Our client then suffered a further episode of severe abdominal pain in January 2016, and he was again admitted to the QEQM Hospital. This time he underwent a range of investigations, and was ultimately referred on to the Kings College Hospital for further management.
At Kings College Hospital, our client had a stent inserted into the common bile duct and he was to be listed for gallbladder removal. However, there was much delay, and the surgery had still not been performed when, in September 2016, our client suffered further severe abdominal pain and was found to have suffered a perforated bowel due to migration of the stent.
Our client required an emergency laparotomy and bowel repair surgery, although he did not require a stoma. He made a slow recovery and continued to have problems from the laparotomy wound, including the development of an incisional hernia.
Expert evidence was obtained which confirmed that the East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust should have performed gallbladder removal surgery shortly after the first episode of gallstone pancreatitis in April 2014, and that had this been performed the further abdominal pain and all associated treatment and complications would have been avoided.
The Trust admitted liability in early course, and a settlement was reached in the sum of £44,000.
Our client commented “Thank you for all you have done on my behalf, and to all in your firm, who have helped secure a settlement for me. It really is life changing.”
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