Hundreds of women daily undergo various gynaecological procedures. Many more receive obstetric treatment in the lead up to and delivery of children. When the unthinkable happens and this treatment goes wrong, it can have devastating effects.
T G Baynes has many years of experience in helping women and mothers who have been victims of negligence in this area, assisting in obtaining compensation and organising treatment for all involved.
What Is Gynaecology Treatment?
Gynaecological treatment generally refers to the treatment of the female reproductive system. Common examples of this treatment are:
- Hysterectomy
- Infertility
- Ovarian and other female cancers
- Laparotomy and open operations to investigate symptoms
- Oopherectomy
- Sterilisation
Errors can be made at any time during treatment, i.e. at diagnosis, prognosis, choice of treatment and follow up. In addition, errors may lead to complications outside of the gynaecological area, such as damage to nearby nerves or infection, and damage to local organs such as the bladder or perhaps perforation of the bowel. Examples of negligence in this area include:
- Delayed / inaccurate diagnosis at either GP or hospital stage
- Failure to perform appropriate tests or delay in doing so
- Inappropriate / poor operative technique in surgery leading to further damage
- Delay in recognising and treating infection
- Failure to recognise the correct treatment path
Problems encountered by patients following such negligence can vary and are not exhaustive. For example, the ureter could be damaged, or bowel perforated, during a hysterectomy leading to infection which then leads to further damage. Further examples would be delay in diagnosis of cysts leading to infertility, as well as delay in diagnosis of female cancer, and many more.
What is Obstetric Treatment?
Obstetric treatment generally refers to the treatment of the same reproductive system, but when the woman is pregnant and in the immediate post natal period. Many gynaecologists are also obstetricians and will deal in both areas. Common examples of treatment provided by obstetricians are:
- Caesarean Section
- Difficult births
- Management of high risk pregnancy
- Evacuation of Retained Products of Conception (ERPC)
Often the damage is not only to the mother, but also to the newborn and therefore both must be looked at carefully in terms of causation. Examples include:
- Failure to deliver placenta following birth
- Damage to nearby organs/arteries during caesarean section
- Failure to recognise symptoms of eclampsia
- Inappropriate decisions made through the pregnancy leading to damage to both mother and child
How Can T G Baynes Help you with your Obstetric and Gynaecological recovery?
There is often significate overlap between Obstetric and Gynaecological negligence. At T G Baynes, our solicitors recognise the difficulties to live with and talk about the needs to be handled with the upmost sensitivity. If you have suffered, please contact our experience Clinical Negligence Solicitors today on 020 8301 7777 or email us to discuss further.