Man suffers severe pain and a prolonged hospital stay after delay in diagnosis and treatment of perforated bowel

Adam was referred to Bedford Hospital in 2019 by his GP due to an enlarging umbilical hernia. He was seen in clinic and added to the waiting list for a surgical repair of a hernia.

Adam underwent what was to be a routine procedure and was discharged that same day with a perforated bowel. This left him in severe abdominal pain, which brought him back to A&E that evening when he was readmitted for investigations. 

Adam recalls being ignored throughout the night by nurses as he called out for pain relief. The next morning, doctors on the ward did not properly examine him and a consultant cancelled a CT scan which would have revealed the perforation.  

Adam’s severe abdominal pain persisted, and he was very distressed with a visibly swollen abdomen, but he was reassured by the surgeon who performed the hernia repair that he had performed hundreds of hernia repairs and that his pain was due to dressings being too tightly applied.  

When Adam began to vomit green and yellow liquid, nurses provided him with an anti-emetic but did not escalate his case. Adam had a heart rate of over 100bpm, associated with postoperative abdominal pain and a warning sign of a possible intraabdominal condition. However, he was discharged from hospital.  

When the vomiting continued, Adam’s GP referred him back to hospital where he was reviewed by a different consultant who ordered an emergency CT scan. It led to an emergency abdominal surgical procedure (laparotomy) which confirmed the bowel perforation caused during Adam’s initial surgery.  

Adam suffered a severe period of pain, an extended stay in hospital, prolonged post-operative recovery, and significant psychological symptoms due to the delay in diagnosis and treatment of the bowel perforation. It also led to an increase in intra-abdominal contamination and the development of an incisional hernia.  

Adam followed the internal complaints process regarding the overall standard of care he received in hospital, and he also complained to the General Medical Council (GMC) about the surgeon. The GMC found that, whilst bowel perforations are a recognised complication of hernia repair surgeries, the cancellation of CT scans and premature discharge fell below a reasonable standard of care. Adam instructed Anna Brothers, Leigh Day solicitor and partner in the clinical negligence department, to investigate his case.   

Anna was assisted by Amy Cassar-Pullicino, Leigh Day solicitor who took the lead in investigating Adam’s case. An expert in abdominal surgery was instructed who confirmed the GMC’s findings that the cancelled CT scans and discharges were a breach of duty. A letter of claim was then served and the hospital admitted liability for causing Adam’s injuries, agreeing to pay £29,500 in damages.  

Anna Brothers said: 

“I am pleased that we were able to reach a settlement for Adam who suffered a range of complications from what should have been a routine procedure. Patients should not be ignored when they express that they are in pain and that something is wrong, and proper checks should have taken place to avoid the situation escalating. I hope that the settlement helps Adam to put the ordeal behind him and that these errors are learned from and do not occur again.”