Bile Duct Injuries at Laparoscopy
Was your bile duct cut during keyhole surgery? If so, you need to speak to a medical negligence solicitor without delay. If the surgeon clamped the wrong structure and mistakenly cut your bile duct, you could be entitled to pursue a claim.
For more information, please get in touch with us at Glynns Solicitors. We specialise in medical injury claims.
Laparoscopy surgery
'Laparoscopy surgery' is the medical way of saying 'keyhole surgery'. It is the opposite of 'laparotomy' or 'open surgery', where a large incision is made to enable access to the internal structures.
Laparoscopy can be applied to most types of surgery, from orthopaedic to gynaecological. One of the most common uses is abdominal surgery, as it enables a surgeon to reach the abdominal area without a large cut being made across the tummy.
This has a number of benefits. It minimises the patient's recovery time and avoids extensive scarring across the abdomen.
How is keyhole surgery performed?
During abdominal surgery, small incisions are made in the abdomen and belly button. Laparoscopes – which are long, thin cables with a light and camera attached to the end – are inserted into these incisions.
Carbon dioxide is then pumped into the abdomen to inflate the area. This gives the surgeon more room to manoeuvre. The camera images are relayed back to screens in the operating theatre, allowing the surgical team to see inside the patient without any large cuts being made.
Afterwards the carbon dioxide is released from the abdominal cavity and the wounds are stitched together.
Gallbladder laparoscopy surgery
Gallbladder surgery is one of the most common types of laparoscopic procedure. The surgical removal of the gallbladder via keyhole surgery is called a laparoscopic cholecystectomy.
The gallbladder may need to be removed if someone is suffering from painful gallstones. Gallstones do not always cause symptoms. However, sometimes they can become stuck or inflame the gallbladder. If so, the patient will normally be advised to have the gallbladder removed.
Human beings can live perfectly well without the gallbladder. It does have a function, and that is to act as a reservoir for bile, storing it as it travels from the liver to the intestine. Nevertheless, it is not an essential function, so it is better to have the gallbladder removed if painful gallstones are present.
Bile duct injury gallbladder surgery
The cystic duct is a small tube that links the gallbladder to the bile duct. During gallbladder surgery, the cystic duct is clamped with metal clips. Only then can the gallbladder be removed. This clips will ensure that bile does not leak out into the abdominal cavity. However, there is a risk that the surgical team will confuse the patient's anatomy and clamp/cut the wrong structure. This means the bile duct itself could be injured. Such complications are extremely serious as the bile duct is needed to transport bile from the liver (where it is made) to the intestines (where it is used for digestion).
Consequences of bile duct injuries
If the bile duct is injured during surgery, it must be recognised and repaired immediately. Even if this is achieved, the patient may experience a protracted recovery and ongoing complications.
Sometimes the surgeon does not even realise that the bile duct or hepatic duct has been clipped and divided by mistake. The operation is therefore brought to a close and the patient sent back to the ward.
Within a short space of time, the patient will become unwell with sickness, pain, abdominal tenderness and jaundice. It is likely that further tests, such as an ultrasound, will detect the surgeon's error.
Following a diagnosis, the patient will need to be rushed back to theatre for reconstructive surgery. The patient could potentially be very unwell by this stage and organ damage, particularly liver damage, may have occurred.
This may mean that the patient needs ongoing medical tests and treatment, including annual liver function tests. There is also the risk of further complications arising in the future, such as:
- Bile duct stricture
- Major biliary reconstruction
- Incisional hernia
- Adhesions which obstruct the bowel
Has this happened to you?
Have you suffered because of a bile duct injury during surgery? Or perhaps your friend, partner or family member has been the victim of a bile duct injury?
If so and you believe surgical error is to blame, please do not hesitate to contact us at Glynns Solicitors. Bile duct injuries are often negligent, meaning you would be entitled to pursue a claim for compensation. If the claim relates to your loved one who has since passed away, you can make a claim on behalf of the estate.
When you contact us, we will put you through to a senior solicitor who will ask you details about the case. Once the information has been obtained, we will consider whether or not you have grounds to pursue a claim. We offer this advice completely free of charge and obligation.
If you are able to make a claim, you will need to decide whether you would like to proceed. Just because you have grounds to take legal action does not mean that you have to go ahead. It is entirely your case.
If you would like to proceed, we will handle your case from start to finish, fighting to get the compensation you deserve.
What about the cost of a claim?
We have a number of funding options available, all of which we will discuss with you at the outset. Most of our claims are run on a no win no fee basis. This is a popular funding option as it means you do not have to pay anything should your case be unsuccessful. We will explain this in more detail before the claim begins, ensuring you are completely happy with the situation.
Expert legal advice
If you would like more information on claiming compensation for a bile duct injury, please contact us today. We are a specialist medical negligence law firm based between Bath and Bristol. We are not hindered by geographical location and act for clients across England and Wales.
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