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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Infection after private surgery- discount??

20 replies

dubai71 · 23/04/2019 09:57

Hello
I recently had surgery which I paid for. Unfortunately I got an infection (cellulitis) from the surgery. The surgeon was very helpful and apologetic and admits it was caused in surgery. AIBU to request some sort of refund from the bill or is it just one of those surgical risks?
Thank you

OP posts:

dontmessagemethat · 23/04/2019 09:58

I’m not sure on the ins and outs but no surgery is without risk. Did you sign a waiver? You could contact them asking for a full written explanation of what happened and then take it further from there

mrbob · 23/04/2019 10:00

When you were consented for your procedure one of the risks explained would have been infection. It is a risk of surgery- it wouldn’t have happened if you hadn’t had surgery obviously but it doesn’t mean it was anyone’s “fault”. So no you can’t! These things happen

JudgeRindersMinder · 23/04/2019 10:00

Infection is always a risk of surgery, it’s a long time since I had surgery, but in the consent form don’t you sign to say you’ve had the risks explained and understand them?
I’m actually amazed at a surgeon making that kind of admission AND apologising!

BabyDarlingDollfaceHoney · 23/04/2019 10:00

You'd have had to sign a consent form and one of the risks you agreed to would definitely have been infection. When you say the surgeon said it was from surgery was he admitting some kind of mistake or just saying in a general way yeah the infection is secondary to the surgery? If the latter I doubt you have any grounds in asking for a refund.

SnowyAlpsandPeaks · 23/04/2019 10:02

I’m confused- is he just saying that yes it was caused by the surgery in general. Or is he admitting negligence in that equipment for example wasn’t sterilised?

Any surgery comes with a risk of infection, it’s part of the risk of surgery, along with death.

Imagine everyone that caught an infection due to surgery put a claim in/asked for a discount- medicine would be on its knees.

Ragwort · 23/04/2019 10:03

I think it is just one of this unfortunate risks you have to accept, my DH got a DVT after very expensive private treatment on his knee. When he saw the surgeon later he just explained that as DH was fit and healthy he had assumed him to be very low risk. .

pearldeodorant · 23/04/2019 10:03

You will have signed a consent form saying you accepted this could happen so no, it's unlikely to be anyone's fault so no, no refund

HBStowe · 23/04/2019 10:11

Infection is a known surgical risk so I don’t think you would get anywhere unless you think it was caused due to negligence, in which case you may have a personal injury claim. If you think it was a case of negligence it is worth speaking to a solicitor.

Hope you’re on the mend soon!

Langrish · 23/04/2019 10:13

No. It’s always a risk whoever’s paying. As is anaesthetic reaction.
Presumably you signed a consent form highlighting the risks.

TildaKauskumholm · 23/04/2019 10:15

You will find that private medical facilities have very expensive lawyers to make sure the papers you sign mean they take no responsibility...

Northernlurker · 23/04/2019 10:24

Ha! No chance.

Fiveredbricks · 23/04/2019 10:26

No chance OP. The risk was yours to take.

greenelephantscarf · 23/04/2019 10:27

yabu
it's a risk of any surgery to get infections. with certainty it was in the forms you signed before the procedure.
I hope you get better soon

CloudRusting · 23/04/2019 10:29

I wouldn’t expect a discount as this is a general surgical risk. However if you had to go back for an additional appointment with the consultant I wouldn’t expect to pay for that.

Mari50 · 23/04/2019 10:30

Infection is an inherent risk in any surgery, when you consented to the surgery it will have been presented to you as a risk and you obviously still agreed to proceed so I’d say you have to accept your bad luck.

Prequelle · 23/04/2019 10:34

It would have been caused by the surgery as in if you hadn't had the surgery you wouldn't have got an infection, but that doesn't mean the surgeon did something wrong. It's an inherent risk of surgery and could have been caused post op, even by your own actions. I hope it gets better soon. Surgical site infections can be nasty.

PookieDo · 23/04/2019 10:35

No as you would have signed consent to agree that this was a risk
But I would question if they try to charge you for follow ups

PookieDo · 23/04/2019 10:36

^ follow ups only related to infection FYI

HBStowe · 23/04/2019 10:42

You will find that private medical facilities have very expensive lawyers to make sure the papers you sign mean they take no responsibility...

You shouldn’t peddle misinformation. All patients will sign consent forms indicating that they understand the risks of a procedure, but those forms are worth nothing if the doctor or medical centre can’t evidence that a personal discussion of these risks took place in such a way as to ensure the patient actually gave informed consent. Furthermore, no form (regardless of what says) absolves a medical professional of the responsibility to take the level of care expected of a competent member of their profession. Regardless of what a patient has signed, if a surgeon is negligent they are liable for the consequences to the patient.

I defend personal injury claims and I can’t tell you how many times healthcare providers (both private and NHS) have produced comprehensive consent forms signed by patients which are worth nothing, either because they can’t evidence that a proper discussion of the risks took place, or because they acted negligently and no consent form can absolve them of that.

Original poster

dubai71 · 23/04/2019 11:19

Thanks all, always helpful to be sense checked.
You are totally right I signed a consent form.
Surgeon admitted the infection happened during the surgery and it was something to do with the area not being sterile.
As you say just fine fo those unfortunate things. Thanks all.

OP posts:

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