Mismanagement of fibroid in pregnancy ends in hysterectomy
Medical negligence lawyers from our Birmingham office helped a woman claim compensation after medical errors led to her requiring a hysterectomy.
After trying to conceive with her husband for 8 years, Rebecca was delighted to discover she was pregnant. She had always wanted children and planned to have a large family.
Her care was booked at a local hospital. She had an ultrasound scan at 12 weeks and this was normal.
She had another ultrasound scan at 20 weeks. The scan revealed that the baby was fine and progressing well. However, the scan showed that Rebecca had a large fibroid which was blocking the internal os of the uterus. This meant that Rebecca would not be able to deliver her baby vaginally as the fibroid was too large for the baby to pass it and progress along the birth canal.
Rebecca was told that the fibroid would need to be closely monitored and that she would need to have a caesarean section to deliver her baby. The caesarean section would need to be a ‘classic’ caesarean section, which meant Rebecca would have a vertical incision along her abdomen. She could not have a lower transverse caesarean section (a horizontal incision along the pubic line) as this would cut the fibroid and she would haemorrhage.
Rebecca was monitored carefully and the need for her to deliver her baby by classic caesarean section was clearly documented in her medical records.
She was admitted to hospital at 39 weeks gestation for her elective classic caesarean section. Rebecca had been told previously that the operation would be performed by her treating consultant obstetrician. However, when she arrived in theatre her treating consultant was not present and she was told that the operation would instead be performed by a registrar.
Rebecca stressed to the registrar that she would need a classic caesarean section because of her complications with the fibroid. Despite this, the registrar ignored Rebecca, and the clear management plan in her notes, and proceeded to perform a lower transverse caesarean section.
Rebecca’s large fibroid was cut. She bled and, although her daughter Poppy was born well and healthy, Rebecca did not recover from the fibroid being cut. She had to undergo a total abdominal hysterectomy.
Rebecca can have no further children. Her marriage broke down as a result and her husband left her to care for Poppy on her own. She was severely traumatised by these events and has been unable to return to work.
With the help of medical negligence lawyer Emma Rush, Rebecca successfully pursued a claim for compensation against the hospital in question. The hospital admitted it failed in its duty of care to Rebecca. She was awarded a five figure sum which she intends to use for cognitive behavioural therapy to help with her emotional trauma, and to try to provide her daughter with some financial stability since she now cares for her alone.