Damages for pain and suffering from infected mesh surgery at Royal Free London
Louise Astill secured a five-figure settlement for Danielle*, who suffered nerve damage and ongoing pain following multiple failures while under the care of Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust.
Danielle underwent an elective right inguinal hernia repair with mesh. After the surgery, she developed an infection that meant she was readmitted to hospital a week after the original surgery.
Despite being prescribed IV antibiotics, Danielle continued to show signs of infection at hospital, including shivering, feeling hot and experiencing ongoing pain. Her surgical wound was red, swollen and oozing. During the admission Danielle was predominantly cared for by junior doctors without senior doctor review.
Despite the above, Danielle was discharged home with a course of oral antibiotics after four days in hospital. Back at home, she continued to get worse. She contacted her GP and was referred back to hospital where a CT scan revealed a large post-operative abscess under the surgical site.
Danielle had to undergo surgical removal of the mesh used during her hernia operation, which had become infected. As a result of the delay in treating the source of the infection, there was damage to the surrounding nerves including the ilioinguinal, genitofemoral, ileo-hypogastric and the lateral cutaneous nerves which has caused ongoing reduced mobility and chronic pain.
Danielle's case was that there was a failure to adequately monitor the wound, failure to perform adequate clinical examination and failure to appreciate the severity of her infection. Overall, there was a failure by the medical team to appreciate that there was a risk that the mesh used in the hernia repair surgery, would become infected and that this could not be treated by antibiotics and needed to be removed to control the infection.
Her case was that she should not have been discharged home and that had she remained in hospital, the severity of her infection would have been identified earlier resulting in earlier surgery to remove the infected mesh and reducing the inflammation and destruction to the surrounding nerves.
Louise worked with Arti Shah and Jo Moore of 1 Crown Office Row. They instructed expert witnesses including a surgeon and experts in psychiatry and pain medicine to assess the treatment provided by the hospital and quantify the claim.
Despite the defendant trust not admitting liability, the parties reached settlement which will provide Danielle with the therapy, support and assistance she requires in her daily life.
*name changed
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