Case study: £83,000 compensation for gallbladder surgery claim
Keyhole surgery to remove your gallbladder, known as laparoscopic cholecystectomy, is one of the UK’s most commonly performed operations. Many people who undergo this surgery do so because of complications caused by gallstones.
But despite it being a routine procedure which is usually carried out and completed without complications, our medical negligence solicitors regularly deal with medical malpractice claims for gallbladder surgery and gallstone treatment.
Previously, gallbladder removal surgery involved ‘open’ surgery with the surgeon making a large incision in the abdomen. However, this practice is now rare and most patients have keyhole surgery.
Keyhole surgery is less invasive than open surgery which means patients recover more quickly and spend less time in hospital. But whilst it’s now the norm for surgeons to remove the gallbladder using keyhole surgery, serious mistakes do happen and these could lead to a claim for surgical negligence.
Making a negligence claim for gallbladder surgery errors
One of the most common errors in gallbladder surgery is misidentification of the anatomy by the surgeon. This can result in injury to the common bile duct, blood vessels, the bowel or the liver and is often life-threatening or may leave you needing further open surgery.
If there has been a serious injury to the bile duct, it may be necessary for you to be transferred immediately to a specialist centre for bile duct reconstruction.
If the blood supply to the liver has been damaged, a section of the liver will also have to be removed. You’ll probably have to spend some time in intensive care after operations and may make a slow recovery. Frequently patients are left with chronic tiredness, a lack of energy and pain that affects their everyday lives.
You may also be able to make a claim if the surgeon fails to note your pre-operative blood test results. Routine blood tests are taken before keyhole gallbladder surgery and the results can indicate that there are gallstones in the bile duct.
If the surgeon is unaware or doesn’t give consider this consideration before carrying out the operation, it can result in major problems and life-threatening conditions, such as biliary peritonitis.
In one recent case, we recovered negligence damages of £83,250.
How we can help
If you’ve suffered physical and psychological injuries as a result of medical negligence in gallbladder surgery, you may be able to make a surgical compensation claim. You can also claim for any losses or expenses you’ve incurred as a result, such as loss of earnings.
Errors during surgery can have serious, life-changing consequences. To discuss a potential negligence claim for gallbladder surgery or any other surgery, call our medical negligence solicitors on 0117 325 2929.
Alternatively, complete our online enquiry form and a member of the team will get back to you.