Claiming Compensation for Crohn's Disease Medical Negligence
A patient with a diagnosis of Crohn's Disease will not necessarily undergo surgery. It may be considered appropriate for their condition to be managed with medication. However, regular monitoring of the patient and any altered symptoms should ensure that treatment methods are amended if the patient deteriorates.
A failure to recognise the significance of worsening symptoms may leave the patient with a perforated bowel. This situation can be life-threatening and, if the patient suffers a poor long-term outcome as a result, may justify a claim for compensation.
Crohn's disease complications
Crohn's disease is an inflammatory bowel disease which causes extreme pain and inflammation in the gut, damaging the function of the digestive tract.
Surgery can sometimes be required to remove the appropriate part of the bowel in order to alleviate the patient's symptoms.
Crohn's disease can affect the entire thickness of the bowel wall and, if untreated in time, cause the lining to become perforation.
The risks of a perforated bowel
If the bowel is perforated, this effectively means that there is a hole or tear in the lining which keeps all faecal matter inside the bowel. Consequently, bacteria can leak from inside the bowel through to the abdominal cavity which houses many vital organs.
If infection develops in the abdomen, such as peritonitis where the lining of the abdomen is affected, it can trigger a sepsis response.
This dysfunctional and disproportionate immune system reaction can quickly threaten the life of the patient, causing multiple organ failure.
Over 10,000 people are thought to die from sepsis unnecessarily in the UK every year. Those who survive can suffer debilitating and distressing symptoms for a lifetime.
Medical negligence
If a patient is known to be suffering from crohn's disease or is exhibiting symptoms strongly indicative of this diagnosis, they may need surgery as a matter of urgency. This can prevent the occurrence of an uncontrolled perforation or rupture of the bowel and the development of abdominal infection and sepsis.
If a patient presents to their medical professional with symptoms of severe crohn's disease which are not recognised, or if the necessary treatment is delayed, they may suffer a perforation of the bowel. The relevant medical practitioner may be regarded as having acted negligently.
Speak to a solicitor
If you or a loved one are struggling with the long-term impact of a perforated bowel due to poor medical care of crohn's disease, contact Glynns today to talk to a specialist medical negligence solicitor.
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