Following a forceps delivery, Annie suffered a third degree tear. Unfortunately, this was not diagnosed for another six months, by which time she was suffering life-changing symptoms.
Due to concerns about the baby’s heart rate, Annie’s first child was delivered quickly with the aid of forceps. Following the birth, Annie was told by the Registrar who delivered her baby, that she had suffered a second degree perineal tear during the birth. The Registrar then stitched Annie’s tear in the delivery suite.
Unfortunately, Annie was not then examined to check the repair as the Registrar had to leave to deal with an emergency.
After the birth, Annie was experiencing blood loss from her rectum and remained in hospital for a further five days. During this time, she felt severe pain around her rectum as well as developing problems with control of both her bladder and bowel. She was then discharged with antibiotics.
Continuing to suffer bleeding, Annie returned to hospital the following month. By this time, she was experiencing faecal incontinence daily and believed she could feel wind escaping via her vagina. She was referred to a colorectal surgeon and underwent an anal ultrasound five months later. This confirmed that Annie had damage to both her internal and external anal sphincter, explaining why she could no longer control her bowels properly.
This means that Annie had, in fact, suffered a 3c tear during the birth of her baby, not a 2nd degree tear as had been stated at the time.
Had this injury been properly repaired at the time, by an experienced surgeon in an operating theatre, it is likely that Annie would have made a good recovery and not gone on to suffer severe bowel problems.
Unfortunately, Annie still finds it difficult to control the passing of faeces, and cannot prevent the passing of wind. She has tried sacral nerve stimulation to try to ease her problems but has been told that she may, at some point, require a colostomy bag to resolve her bowel problems.
Annie has been devastated by these appalling on-going symptoms, especially as she now knows that they could have been prevented had a proper examination of her vagina, perineum and anus been carried out after the birth of her baby.
Annie has had to leave her job due to the difficulties with controlling her bowel and it is unlikely that she will ever be able to return to her chosen career. Her life has been severely restricted by her understandable anxiety about developing symptoms in public so any trip outside the house requires extensive planning.
Glynns supported Annie in pursuing a claim for medical negligence and she was awarded over £200,000 in compensation for her on-going problems.
(Details which might identify our client have been changed.)
If you, or your family member, has suffered a birth injury tear, please call us now for free, no obligation advice on 0800 234 3300 (or from a mobile click to call 01275 334030) or complete our Free Online Enquiry.
