Surgical Error Leads to Life-Threatening Bowel Injury for Patient

A woman endured months of battling life-threatening infections following a surgical error during a standard gallbladder removal procedure. Cheryl Gravil, aged 61, received £320,000 in damages after her bowel was inadvertently perforated during the surgical intervention at Doncaster Royal Infirmary. Subsequently, she contracted sepsis and pneumonia. The leakage of her bowel’s contents into her system led to her admission to intensive care, despite the procedure being intended for same-day patient discharge. The Doncaster and Bassetlaw Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust issued an apology to Mrs Gravil, acknowledging that the medical attention she received “fell below the standards accepted”. The outpatient surgery occurred in July 2017, after which Mrs Gravil experienced severe ill health. She recounted: “I remember going to the toilet and being sick. I was really concerned because it was a dark green colour, like I’d never seen before, and I also had really bad stomach pains.” Mrs Gravil stated that nurses informed her these symptoms were typical and probably due to trapped gas; however, upon her husband’s arrival that afternoon, he discovered her in distress and insisted on a medical consultation. “I remember being told I may need an X-ray and possibly surgery, and then the next thing I can remember is waking up in intensive care with all these tubes coming out of me and a colostomy bag” she said. Mrs Gravil discovered that the surgeon had inadvertently punctured her bowel during the operation, leading to a leakage of its contents. “I was later told that I’d have only survived another couple hours had I not been admitted to intensive care when I was.” The Trust acknowledged that if the error had been identified promptly and the injury rectified, Mrs Gravel’s hospital stay would have been limited to approximately one week. Dr Nick Mallaband, the acting executive medical director, stated: “We sincerely apologise to Mrs Gravil for the harm caused during her treatment. We regret that the care provided fell below the standard expected, and for this, we are truly sorry.” Mrs Gravil reported that the surgery resulted in several ongoing medical issues, including the development of a hernia, necessitating lifestyle adjustments to manage her bowel and abdominal symptoms. Dr Mallaband confirmed that the Trust had conducted a comprehensive review of the incident and introduced modifications to reduce the likelihood of similar events in the future. He further added: “Patient safety remains our utmost priority, and we are committed to learning and improving to provide the highest standard of care.” Hudgells Solicitors successfully obtained an out-of-court settlement on behalf of Mrs Gravil. For highlights from South Yorkshire, listeners can access BBC Sounds; the latest episode of Look North is also available, or stories for coverage can be submitted here. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC disclaims responsibility for the content found on external websites. Information regarding its policy on external linking is available.