Pectus Excavatum Surgery Failure
Failings in the undertaking of surgery to treat a sunken chest can lead to ongoing pain, scarring, infection and the need for further surgery.
What is Pectus Excavatum?
Pectus excavatum, or 'funnel chest' is a condition where the chest appears sunken due to a deformity of the breastbone and rib cage. It can cause pain, restrict certain activities and impact on a person's physical appearance.
Where necessary, procedures to repair this deformity tend to re-shape the chest with the insertion of a bar inside the chest cavity to support the newly-shaped sternum.
The Ravitch Procedure
In the Ravitch procedure a cut is made across the chest, allowing the straightening of the breastbone and the insertion of one or more bars, possibly temporarily, to maintain the new shape.
The Nuss Procedure
The Nuss procedure involves the insertion of a curved bar through a cut at the side of the chest to force the re-shaping of the sternum.
Complications of pectus excavatum surgery
These procedures are often very successful but significant and serious complications can occur in the course of this surgery:
- Displacement of the bar(s) used to support the transformed breastbone position can occur following either the Ravitch or Nuss procedures. This may require further surgery to rectify the problem, making the patient vulnerable to all the risks inherent in any major surgery as well as the emotional impact of having to undergo the procedure a second time.
- Organ damage can occasionally occur during the procedure, in particular damage to the heart. This should be identified at the time of the surgery and dealt with promptly and effectively in order to avoid long-term problems. Where the injury is due to incompetence by the surgeon, they may be considered to have acted negligently.
- It has also been known for the supporting bar to break, requiring further surgery. It is important that the choice of supporting bar(s) and stabilisers is suitable to the characteristics of the patient.
- Infection and susceptibility to sepsis is a further risk of this surgery
- An allergic reaction to the material of the 'foreign bodies' used as a part the operation can also be an issue.
Medical negligence
Where surgery to treat a funnel chest has failed due to negligence, leading to significant on-going problems, the patient may wish to consider making a claim for compensation for their pain and suffering.
Contact Glynns Solicitors to discuss your situation. We are specialists in medical negligence law and would be happy to advise you.
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If you or a loved one have suffered from the appalling experience of sepsis due to a failure to recognise or respond to the dangers of sepsis in relation to abdominal surgery, you may be entitled to make a claim for compensation for your suffering.
Contact Glynns Solicitors to discuss your experience with a specialist, medical negligence solicitor.
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