Bowel Perforated During Caesarean Section
Although occurring only occasionally, a perforated bowel during a C-Section can cause severe complications and prompt a claim for compensation.
Abdominal surgery complexity
The abdomen contains a whole range of organs and structures essential to the smooth and effective functioning of the human body. This includes the stomach, liver, kidneys, digestive tract and bladder as well as, in the case of women, the uterus or womb. It is a complex area of the body and yet it is also an area where numerous different types of both planned and emergency surgery are undertaken.
In such a complex environment, confusion and mistakes can occur with devastating effects on the patient.
One such scenario is where the bowel becomes accidentally damaged, either due to misunderstanding of the anatomy, lack of skill or the pressure of time. Such an injury occasionally occurs during a Caesarean Section and can become the focus of a claim for compensation.
The impact of a perforated bowel
A perforated bowel can soon become life-threatening. An opening or cut between the bowel and the abdominal cavity can allow bacteria to spread from the interior of the bowel to the interior of the abdomen. This is something that should never happen. The bacteria inside the abdomen can infect the peritoneum, or lining of the abdomen, which can, in turn, cause a sepsis reaction.
In such a situation, the patient is likely to become extremely unwell very quickly, requiring intensive care support and emergency treatment to try to avoid a possibly catastrophic outcome.
Responding to a perforated bowel
Ideally, perforating the bowel during the course of a caesarean section should never happen. The various structures within the abdomen should be clearly identified and kept separate throughout the operation. However, it does occasionally occur.
In this case, the fact that the bowel has been perforated needs to be identified immediately and repaired before any further damage to the patient can occur.
If the relevant medical practitioner recognises and repairs the situation promptly, the impact on the patient is likely to be small and it will probably not be considered to have been an act of negligence.
However, if the perforation goes unobserved, the woman may start to develop the following symptoms:
- Intense abdominal pain
- Nausea and vomiting
- A high temperature
- A fast heartbeat
Such symptoms require prompt investigation and an immediate response should it seem that a perforation has occurred.
Speak to a solicitor
If you or a loved one have suffered significant, long-term effects due to a perforation of the bowel during a C-section, you may wish to consider making a claim for compensation.
Contact us to discuss your experience with a specialist medical negligence solicitor.
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