Is A Perforated Bowel Negligent?
Significant medical negligence compensation claims are frequently the result of an accidentally perforated bowel during abdominal surgery. Is this necessarily negligence on the part of the surgeon?
What is a perforated bowel?
The term 'perforated bowel' usually refers to a part of the small or large intestine which has been damaged - split or ruptured - potentially allowing waste matter to leak out of the bowel into the abdomen. Damage to the bowel can happen naturally as a result of a pre-existing abdominal condition, such as Crohn's Disease or as an accidental result of abdominal surgery.
Is a perforated bowel negligent?
Damage to the bowel during surgery is a known risk. A wide range of procedures can accidentally lead to injury to the bowel such as a hysterectomy, the removal of the prostate gland or the appendix. It can also be caused by an investigative procedure such as a colonoscopy.
The anatomy of the internal organs is both complex and confined and it is not necessarily negligent for a surgeon to damage an adjacent organ such as the bowel during an operation.
Given that this is a possibility, however, it is important that a thorough examination should be undertaken at the time of the operation to check for any such injury and repair it at the time.
Negligence
If a perforation to the bowel is not observed before the operation is completed, it is quite likely that the patient will begin to suffer unpleasant and potentially life-threatening complications.
In these circumstances, the surgeon may be considered to have acted negligently by not checking for damage to the patient.
Symptoms
Signs that the patient may be suffering the effects of a perforated bowel include the following:
- Severe abdominal pain
- Abdominal swelling and tenderness
- A high temperature
- Nausea
- Vomiting
If a patient who has undergone abdominal surgery begins to exhibit these symptoms, it should be considered a possibility that the bowel may have been perforated. It is possible that the patient may require further surgery to repair the damage.
If there is a delay in responding to the patient's symptoms, they may develop peritonitis and blood-poisoning as the toxins from the leaking waste matter spill into the abdomen.
Medical Negligence
The effects of a perforated bowel can be life-threatening. The patient may require a further surgical procedure and may require life-support in intensive care.
If you or a loved one have suffered the appalling effects of a negligently perforated bowel, you may wish to consult with an experienced solicitor regarding the possibility of a compensation claim.
Glynns Solicitors is a specialist medical negligence practice. Contact us to discuss your experience. We will be happy to advise you.
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