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Pain, Suffering and Trauma Due to Negligent Gallbladder Surgery

A failure by the surgeon to convert from keyhole to open gallbladder surgery when necessary left our client with an injury to the hepatic bile duct, causing a bile leak, sepsis and the need for further surgery.

Anna had experienced abdominal pain on and off for years when she decided to undergo an elective cholecystectomy, believing that this would finally resolve her gallbladder problems.

She was consented for a laparoscopic (keyhole) procedure but agreed to the possibility of a conversion to open surgery should the findings necessitate this.

The surgeon who carried out the procedure noted that there were severe adhesions or scarring around the gallbladder and that he had therefore carried out a subtotal cholecystectomy.

In fact, the surgeon had not established a clear field of vision of Anna's internal abdominal hepatic anatomy and had accidentally cut her hepatic bile duct. Given the difficulties of the operation, our medical expert advised that the surgeon should have converted to open surgery to ensure clear identification of the anatomy.

The error was not identified at the time it occurred but, following the operation, Anna quickly began to deteriorate, experiencing terrible chest and abdominal pain, weakness and distress. Anna was leaking bile into her abdominal cavity and required drains to be inserted to have fluid removed. She continued in severe pain for the following two weeks, developing sepsis and feeling extremely anxious and unable to eat.

Eventually, Anna's care was taken over by another surgeon but, by this time, it was too late for an optimal repair to take place. Anna was advised that a mistake had been made during her surgery and that she would need reconstructive surgery when she was stronger.

However, as Anna's condition did not improve, the decision was taken to carry out the necessary surgery sooner than planned. Nine days after her reconstructive surgery, Anna eventually returned home to begin a slow recovery. This was more than a month after she had been admitted to hospital for what she thought would be a one day procedure.

Thankfully, Anna was able to return to work gradually after her ordeal but continues to suffer a range of symptoms including heightened anxiety and fatigue due to her traumatic experience.

When Anna approached Glynns about the quality of her medical care, our medical expert advised that she had suffered substandard care and a breach of duty.

Anna received in excess of £60,000 in compensation for the impact of her negligent medical care.

(Details which might identify our client have been changed.)

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