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Leg Amputation After Surgery: Two-Day Delay Cited
16 Jul
Summary
- A two-day delay in removing a blood clot led to a leg amputation.
- Medical staff failed to consult vascular experts after clamping an artery.
- The NHS Trust admitted liability and apologized for the incident.
A severe medical oversight resulted in an 81-year-old woman requiring a leg amputation below the knee. The incident occurred in July 2021, following a hysterectomy at New Cross Hospital. Medical staff applied a vascular clamp to an artery to control bleeding but failed to record its use or consult vascular specialists.
A critical two-day delay followed before the blood clot could be surgically removed. By then, circulation could not be restored to the patient's left leg, leading to its inevitable amputation. The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust has since admitted liability for the care failings.
Lawyers representing the patient stated that the hospital trust acknowledged that an urgent transfer would have allowed surgeons to repair the artery. The trust has apologized for the situation and is cooperating as legal action for compensation proceeds. The patient described unbearable pain and devastation upon learning her leg could not be saved.
Since the operation, the patient has undergone rehabilitation and received a prosthetic leg. Despite this, she described the loss of her independence as extremely difficult and hard to accept. The legal team hopes this case will lead to crucial lessons being learned within the NHS.
