£450,000 for negligent advice to undergo a total abdominal hysterectomy

Our client was advised to undergo a total abdominal hysterectomy, appendectomy and left oophorectomy following symptoms of ongoing pelvic pain which was thought to be caused by adhesions and an ovarian cyst. She underwent the procedures thinking they would resolve her pain and thereafter suffered infection, haematoma, worsening adhesions, pelvic and abdominal pain, urinary and bowel symptoms, and required subsequent surgical interventions including laparoscopic adhesiolysis. The laparoscopic adhesiolysis was complicated by bowel trauma and our client required laparotomy, sigmoid colectomy and ileostomy. She also required ileostomy closure and abdominoplasty procedures.

Following investigation, it was clear that there was no good reason to perform a hysterectomy, appendectomy and left oophorectomy and it was negligent to advise our client that these procedures would resolve her pelvic pain. There was also a failure to advise our client that laparoscopic surgery would be a suitable alternative method to remove her cyst, and that any adhesions could be divided by laparoscopic adhesiolysis. Our client was instead wrongfully advised that she was not suitable for laparoscopic surgery, and that she required open surgery to remove her ovary, appendix and womb.

Our client alleged that, had she been properly advised from the outset, she would have undergone laparoscopic adhesiolysis and cystectomy and would have avoided all the complications resulting from the total abdominal hysterectomy, appendectomy and left oophorectomy. It was further alleged that laparoscopic adhesiolysis would have been successful in resolving our client’s lower abdominal/pelvic pain.

Our client underwent invasive and extensive surgery, which was extremely traumatic for her. She continues to experience the effects of surgery including pain from her laparotomy scar and ongoing abdominal/pelvic pain and discomfort.