Bowel Injured by Colonoscopy
A colonoscopy is a fairly common and safe procedure. However, it can unfortunately carry a number of risks which, if unnoticed at the time, can lead to appalling outcomes.
Function of a colonoscopy
A colonoscopy involves the insertion of a tube with a tiny camera into and through the bowel to provide a surgeon with an internal view of the bowel. It can be used to examine a patient's bowel for a number of serious conditions such as bowel cancer, diverticulitis and colitis, and its use can save a patient's life.
However, it is a delicate procedure which needs to be undertaken with skill and great care. With insufficient care, it can cause a number of problems, the most serious of which is a perforated bowel.
A vulnerable bowel
Where the patient is known to suffer with a pre-existing bowel condition such as diverticulitis or crohn's disease where scarring may have built up, the bowel may be particularly susceptible to further damage and caution should be exercised.
Bowel Perforation
If a bowel perforation occurs during a colonoscopy procedure, it should ideally be diagnosed at the time and managed appropriately.
An undiagnosed bowel perforation can lead to significant problems:
- A perforated bowel can allow waste matter to leak from the bowel into the abdominal cavity. This can lead to the patient developing peritonitis, an infection of the lining of the abdomen. This can cause sepsis which is a life-threatening condition.
- Bowel damage is likely to require further surgery with all the associated inherent problems
- Bowel damage can lead to a loss of bowel control and the need for a colostomy on either a temporary or permanent basis. This can have associated negative effects on the patient's day-to-day life.
Signs that the bowel has perforated
A patient who has suffered damage to their bowel during a colonoscopy may experience severe abdominal pain.
If the perforation of the bowel has led to the patient developing peritonitis, they are likely to start to experience symptoms of infection such as a high temperature, chills and a fast heartbeat.
Any indications of a negative impact require immediate investigation to give the patient the best chance of a good outcome.
Medical Negligence
If the bowel is ruptured during a colonoscopy due to a poor quality of care or incompetence, it may be appropriate to make claim for compensation, especially where the patient is left with long-term symptoms.
If damage is caused accidentally but the patient's subsequent problems are not diagnosed and managed correctly leading to on-going problems, the patient may wish to make a claim against the relevant medical practitioners.
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