Compensation for Gallbladder Surgery Injury
Surgery to deal with gallstones is the commonest abdominal operation. Nonetheless, it can often lead to an injury to one of the surrounding structures, causing serious on-going problems. If this has occurred to you or a loved one, it might be appropriate to make a claim for compensation.
Why do injuries occur during gallbladder surgery?
There may be a number of reasons why injury sometimes occurs during a gallbladder operation:
- Gallbladder surgery is increasingly carried out through a keyhole operation (called a laparoscopic cholecystectomy) rather than open surgery. Although offering a quicker recovery time, this means that the surgeon has a more limited field of vision of the interior of the patient's abdomen. This may make it harder to prevent accidental damage to surrounding structures.
- There are a number of important structures around and connected to the gallbladder which are susceptible to damage such as the bile duct, the cystic duct, the intestines and the liver.
- The anatomy of the gallbladder and its connection to the bile duct can vary meaning that a surgeon may not always encounter the anatomical structure which he or she is expecting.
What types of injury occur during a gallbladder operation?
A variety of forms of damage can result from what might be considered negligent care during a gallbladder operation.
For example, there may be an injury which causes excessive bleeding which requires an immediate response.
It is possible for the bowel to be accidentally damaged, allowing bacteria to leak into the abdomen, potentially putting the patient at risk of infection. A serious injury to the bowel may also put the patient's bowel function at risk, possibly requiring them to undergo further surgery.
The most common form of injury during a laparoscopic cholecystectomy is damage to the common bile duct which carries bile from the gallbladder to the small intestine. For example, the bile duct might become blocked impacting on the flow of bile and causing the patient to suffer problems with the liver and develop jaundice.
The bile duct can also be inadvertently cut, causing a bile leak into the abdomen. This can result in the patient developing peritonitis, an infection of the peritoneum or lining of the abdomen which causes it to become inflamed. Not only will the patient suffer extreme abdominal pain as a result but peritonitis is also a major cause of sepsis. Sepsis can be life-threatening, restricting the flow of oxygen to the major organs, leading to multiple organ failure and, in some instances, death.
Case Study
One of our clients found that he was suffering abdominal pain and started vomiting shortly after his cholecystectomy. Further investigations revealed that his bowel had been damaged during his operation. As a result, his bowel was unable to function properly causing significant pain. Our client required two procedures to try to resolve his bowel difficulties. Unfortunately, these were not entirely successful, leaving him with on-going problems.
Medical negligence
Abdominal injuries during a cholecystectomy procedure are not always negligent and may be quickly and effectively resolved. In such circumstances, it would not be appropriate to pursue a claim for compensation.
Where damage is due to carelessness or a failing on the part of the surgeon or the subsequent management of the injury is poor, it may be considered to have been the product of negligence. Should the patient suffer significant, on-going difficulties as a result, it may be appropriate to make a compensation claim.
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Contact Glynns Solicitors to discuss your situation with a specialist medical negligence solicitor.
We will be happy to offer you free advice as to the suitability of making a claim.
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