The patient says she has been left ‘angry and bitter’ after the devastating chain of events
Sign for the NHS National Health Service (Image: Getty)
A patient at Castle Hill Hospital later had to have her leg amputated following errors during knee replacement surgery. The 69-year-old woman has received a “significant compensation settlement” following the failings.
A drill slipped during the procedure to remove the old prosthesis, causing damage to nerves and blood vessels. The woman was rushed to Hull Royal Infirmary where she underwent emergency repair surgery.
But the condition of her leg deteriorated further, leading to another two surgeries that were unsuccessful. That ultimately led to an above-the-knee amputation which required four months in hospital.
The woman has described the “constant struggle” ever since as she been unable to get a suitable prosthetic, leaving her wheelchair bound. “I went in for an operation which was supposed to give me better mobility and ensure I was able to maintain my independence, but it ended up taking almost everything from me,” she said.
“I’d had my previous prosthetic knee many years and it needed replacing as it had become loose and was unstable. I didn’t see it as a big operation as I’ve had many procedures over the years, and my first knee replacement went smoothly also.
“This time, it all went wrong and the impact on not just my life, but also my husband’s, our children and grandchildren has been huge. We went from living our lives to the full to just existing and all trying to get to grips with me no longer being the person I was.
“I have really struggled physically and psychologically. I tried prosthetic legs but they just wouldn’t work and kept falling off because of how high my amputation is. I think, because of my age and the time of life I am at, I’ve found it really hard to adapt, and to accept that this is how I will spend the rest of my life.
“I’m still angry and bitter. There are thousands of successful knee replacement operations every year, so this surgeon simply can’t have been careful enough to cause the damage he did. It’s as simple as that, by not taking proper care, his mistake has made each and every day of the rest of my life more difficult. I guess I was really unlucky.”
The woman took legal action against Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, with medical negligence specialists Hudgell Solicitors claiming compensation to cover accommodation requirements, as at the time the couple were living in an unsuitable semi-detached home. Compensation was also pursued for future care needs and equipment such as an electric wheelchair, ramps, a stairlift and potentially, a new car to accommodate the wheelchair.
An out-of-court settlement followed, allowing the couple to buy a four-bedroom bungalow closer to their grown-up son who provides help. The Trust admitted the damage caused to the woman’s nerves and blood vessels was due to the “substandard performance of the revision surgery” as “structures were not adequately protected”. It admitted breach of duty of care.
Solicitor Sam Darwin, a medical negligence claims specialist at Hudgell Solicitors, represented the woman in the case and said: “This was a life-changing surgical error as a result of the procedure not being conducted with enough care. It was simply unacceptable and we were pleased that the Trust made immediate admissions once our case was put to them.”
A spokesperson for Humber Health Partnership said: “We are very sorry for what this patient has been through. We reiterate our sincere apologies, which were offered to her at the time. While every procedure is undertaken with the intention of providing safe, effective care, we recognise that things can go wrong.
“When they do, we are committed to being open with patients and families, investigating incidents thoroughly, and using the learning to reduce the risk of recurrence. We have worked with the patient’s legal representatives to reach a fair settlement but we recognise that compensation cannot change what has happened or fully address the impact on the patient and her family.”
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