Patient Suffered Extensive Disfigurement When Left Leg Became Badly Infected After Operation At Southampton General Hospital

A retired firefighter who was left severely disfigured after developing a post-surgery infection at a Southampton hospital is taking legal action against University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust.

Peter Watson from Lyndhurst, Hampshire needed two further operations to remove the infection to his leg after it went undiagnosed by staff at Southampton General Hospital (SGH) for a month; but lost so much blood during one procedure he required an emergency blood transfusion.

The 69-year-old instructed expert medical negligence lawyers at Irwin Mitchell to take legal action against the Trust after the infection left his leg severely disfigured and caused him reduced mobility. Peter’s legal team wrote to lawyers for the Trust on 12 October 2016 and are awaiting a response.

Because of the extent of the scarring on his left leg and the tightness of the skin, Peter is movement is now restricted and he finds simple tasks like getting dressed or bending down both difficult and uncomfortable.

Peter, who retired from Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service in 2001 after 27 years of service and lives alone, struggles to walk and requires ongoing rehabilitation to help him regain his independence and manage his reduced mobility.

He said: “Although I have been told by plastic surgeons that it may be possible to improve the appearance of my left leg scar in the future, I am very reluctant to have any more operations because I am so worried about suffering another severe infection.

“This whole episode has been so traumatic, especially the thought of losing my leg.

“I worry that as I get older I will not be able to get around independently or be able to cope with things at home and as someone who led such an active life in the fire service, that thought is incredibly distressing.”

Expert Opinion

“Peter is understandably concerned that despite the number of reviews of his leg surgery, and repeated acknowledgment in his medical notes that the wound was oozing, no urgent action was taken until January 27.

“Life since the operation has been very difficult for Peter who has had to adjust to significant restrictions on his mobility. He’s also had to come to terms with the fact that an operation which was supposed to give him a better quality of life, has ultimately led to a very traumatic period and has a long-term, if not permanent impact on the rest of his life.

“Such was the extreme nature of Peter’s scarring, when we showed the photographs of his leg to our medical experts they told us the disfigurement was more akin to a shark attack victim than that of a patient who had undergone a vein graft.

“Of course, it could have been so much worse for Peter. Had his infection been allowed to develop further he could have lost his leg completely or, shockingly, even died. It’s therefore incredibly important that lessons are learned from his ordeal so no other patient suffers as he has." Nicole Jackson (née Causey) - Chartered Legal Executive

Peter was admitted to SGH in December 15, 2014 for artery bypass and valve replacement heart surgery using parts of the vein harvested from his left leg.

The operation went ahead on December 23 without complication. But just two days later, as he recovered in hospital, Peter began to experience a severe pain in his left leg and noticed that blood blisters had developed under his surgery sutures. Within 24 hours the wound had begun to ooze.

Despite at least 23 reviews by medical staff at both SGH, Peter’s surgical wound continued to ooze until, on January 27, while attending an appointment at Lyndhurst Surgery, his GP told him his leg was infected and he needed urgent surgery to remove the rotting flesh from inside the wound. An ambulance was called and Peter was urgently re-admitted to SGH.

Peter was operated on the following day but due to severe blood loss needed an urgent blood transfusion. He remained an inpatient until February 27, 2015 during which time he had an extensive skin graft.

As a result of the severe infection, extent of the necrotic tissue and the procedures to remove it, Peter has extensive scarring to his left leg, measuring 25cm long, 10cm wide and 1cm deep. His scar runs down the inside of his left leg and the covering skin is coarse and rigid, which also impacts on his mobility.

Peter also has another scar on his right thigh, where the skin graft was harvested, measuring 7cm long and stretching down from his right side to his right knee, where the skin graft was harvested.

If you or a loved one has suffered due to a surgical error, our medical negligence solicitors could help you to claim compensation. Visits our Surgery Compensation Claims page for more information.