Law Firm Reports Surgeon To GMC After 21-Year Old Man Loses Leg
28/01/2010
A leading clinical negligence solicitor from Irwin Mitchell is reporting a Leeds surgeon to the General Medical Council after a 21-year-old was forced to have his leg amputated when a doctor failed to monitor his injury correctly.
Rachelle Mahapatra, Head of the medical law team at Irwin Mitchell in Leeds has demanded answers from the NHS after Simon Aitcheson, a trainee accounts clerk from Bradford, was left with long term mobility problems following the incident. The resulting investigation has seen the consultant who treated him suspended from duty pending a decision.
Mr Aitcheson will now require ongoing care, an adapted property and a special prosthesis.
Simon was admitted to Leeds General Infirmary in June 2008 for an operation to correct a three centimetre left leg length discrepancy and foot deformity. This highly specialist procedure required the use of a Taylor Spatial fixator frame. This is a highly specialist procedure that involves specialist doctors attaching and gradually turning the frame to lengthen the limb.
Orthopaedic consultant Toby Branfoot failed to pick up on x-ray that the foot bones were gradually deforming and did not take into consideration Simon’s foot deformity. He continued to adjust his frame in accordance to the initial plan, even though it was clear from the x-rays that the foot was getting worse.
The damage to Simon’s leg was so severe that doctors had no other option but to amputate.
Simon said: “I cannot describe what the last 12 months have been like for me. My whole life has been turned upside down due to the misconduct of one person. No amount of money can compensate for the life changing circumstances I have had to adjust to.
“Eighteen months ago I had my whole life ahead of me and was working hard and taking my accounts exams. I have had to give this all up now to rebuild my life and make plans for a new future. I hope to pick up my course again and complete my training and try to live as much of a normal life as is possible.”
Ms Mahapatra, who is representing Simon’s clinical negligence claim, added: "Simon has lost his leg unnecessarily due to the failure to appreciate the significance of the findings on x-rays following the wrong use of a frame. Due to the way the frame was turned as part of the leg lengthening procedure they were in fact causing a progressive deformity to the bones in the foot. That led to skin breakdown and infection and the disruption was so significant by the time he was independently reviewed they could not save his leg.
“The amputation is an unnecessary tragedy which will affect his personal and professional life and is likely to cause further medical problems as he grows older".
"Given the clear x-ray findings throughout his treatment there were a number of missed opportunities to try to rectify the problem.
“It is totally unacceptable from qualified consultants to miss so many opportunities to diagnose such serious problems. Simon now just wants to know what went wrong so that he can try and get on with his life.
“Improving patient safety has to be the paramount concern of the NHS and its consultants and lessons need to be learned from this case to prevent anyone else having to go through what Simon has.”
Clinical negligence solicitors at Irwin Mitchell in Leeds are also speaking to another patient who needs revision surgery due to Branfoot’s treatment and is currently awaiting independent medical evidence.
Mahapatra added: “There is uncertainty surrounding this consultant’s work at Leeds General Infirmary and it is unclear how many other patients may have been affected. What is clear is that there have been avoidable mistakes and we have heard from a number of people who have suffered from problems that should not have occurred.”
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