Has anyone ever had an injury from a c-section?

[Cantpee]

Posting in AIBU for traffic as I really need solidarity!

I have recently suffered an injury to my ureter during a csection and I feel really alone as it’s so rare. During the surgery as I was in labour babies head was low and my uterus was torn on delivery. During the repair my ureter seems to have been damaged, diagnosed due to back pain leading to a CT showing the kidney was swollen due to urine not being able to flow from it.

Because of this my kidney function was suffering and I have a temporary nephrostomy bag. I am not sure what the future looks like as no one knows what the damage is or what has caused it.

I feel so low and alone with this as I only see stories where a csection has been an amazing experience. Has anyone ever suffered this injury?

Hi OP,

that’s sounds awful and I am sorry for you. I have family & friends who had issues with their CS but not the same injury as you.

I had a CS without incident but certainly didn’t find it an amazing experience.

I’ve had 3 but no similar issue. I’m so sorry this has happened to you. I’ve got plenty of friends with vaginal birth issues eg prolapse

So sorry you have experienced this

I know a friends sister in law suffered very bad nerve damage from her planned c-section

I'm so sorry this happened to you OP - I don't have direct experience myself but I have a friend who suffered an injury during having an epidural which had lasting effects. She got support from
https://www.birthtraumaassociation.org/

Not me personally but I am a midwife who has seen this injury. The mother pursued damages through the hospital.

Thank you for this, I have engaged a solicitor but they cannot start work yet as the exact damage and prognosis isn’t known. Do you know how the damage was fixed? I’ve been told the hospital are investigating but they’ve been very elusive with their notes. Whilst in hospital after having my baby (who was perfectly fine!) I was transferred to a bigger hospital within the same trust to get specialist urology treatment and haven’t heard from the hospital where I had the section since it happened.

I'm sorry this has happened OP, and I hope you get the treatment, care and support (physically and mentally) you deserve.

I did have severe complications following my planned c-section, but luckily no lasting long-term issues.

How old is your baby OP? Congratulations! I hope this experience isn't spoiling your newborn phase too much 😕

The surgeon went through our DDs bladder.

I’m so sorry. I do think hospitals massively under play the risks of c sections. I’ve had two (unwanted) sections both massively pushed by the doctors although baby was not in distress either time, and although I’ve been lucky not to have any serious issues I do have a c section niche, my bladder is attached to my scar and I get occasional nerve pain from when the anathehtatist continuously put the spinal in the wrong place.

My newborn is only 3 weeks old so this is very new and very raw. I have been struggling to process it all. It is a second csection; my first was born by planned csection with IUGR. I had wanted a second elective but went into labour at 39 weeks as my section date had been pushed back until I was 41 weeks due to poor availability!

How do you know your bladder is attached to your scar? Asking as I had a c-section recently so am concerned about this for myself.

OP: my sympathies. You are allowed
access to all your notes - what’s the issue in them providing them?

I had a chronic infection from my scar, still unsure 6 months in if it healed properly, inside and out. I’m due to ask for a follow
up soon.

I’m not sure. I contacted PALS today to help and they’ve asked someone to call me next week for an update.

I have access to some of my notes online and can see they’ve had parts added retrospectively!

I do think hospitals massively under play the risks of c sections

Interesting my hospital was very serious about them. I stupidly thought after reading MNs threads & my previous VB that I would be moving around straight after with zero pain!

It’s certainly not an unheard of sort of injury during a difficult section….the obstetricians are very very conscious of the bladder and ureters. Urologists are the best people to get advice about mid-long term management though rather than people on the internet….they should be able to work out where the plumbing’s gone awry even without too much notes from the section.
I wouldn’t read too much into ‘adding notes retrospectively’ - if it’s a shocker of a shift you sometimes have to deal with the fire fighting and write the notes later.

Thanks, I’m not really looking for advice on treatment as I know the urologists are doing lots of tests etc to try and understand what has happened. I’m more looking for solidarity as this seems like a rare complication and I feel very alone.

Same! So many warnings and caveats. I thought I was going to be incapacitated for weeks! I was home in under 24hrs and walking around the (small) park by day three.

Sorry this happened to you OP, I have an operation coming up and (having unfortunately had a lot of them), I always take the 0.001% risks with a pinch of salt, but now I’m a lot more concerned. There is unfortunately always that one in a thousand or a million that could be any of us.

After my first section my recovery was very quick and I was in the supermarket a few days later! This section was classed as an emergency and the recovery has been much harder even without the ureter injury.

I found that initial 2 days after my CS hard. I couldn’t just shoot up from the bed etc, I hated been restricted by my body if that makes sense. I should have got some stronger painkillers though, only on MNs did I learn people were offered stuff.

You poor thing. My nct friend had an injury to her bladder during emergency c section and had to go back for another operation for it. She’s all ok now though.

They did go on about the risk at my NHS antenatal classes, so tbf we were all informed. I don't think any of the people in our group chose a section (obviously some might have had an emergency one, but everyone there said they hoped for a natural one) but I don't know whether that's because they were informed, and of course I know not everyone does go to antenatal groups. I'm sorry for what you've gone through.

I did antenatal classes with my first baby, there were 8 of us and despite saying we all wanted a natural birth 7 of us had a csection in the end! All started off as inductions apart from mine which was due to the IUGR and a lady who had twins. I know there were risks as there are with any surgery/childbirth I am just looking for others that have been in this position as it feels very lonely.

I had a c section, also had a tricky vb with an episiotomy and mild prolapse after.

Tbh I'd take the vb every time. C section is seen as the easy option but its quite a big surgery people simply don't recognise the risks.

I'm so sorry this happened to you. I had similar but caused by endometriosis blocking the ureter and damaging the kidney. I too had a nephrostomy bag for a few weeks until I had surgery to reroute and remove the damaged part of ureter. I can report that 20 years on I am completely fine. My kidney damage did not recover but as it was only one kidney it has not mattered.

Big hugs and hope it gets fixed soon.

That sounds awful OP. PALS should be able to help, the hospital have an obligation of duty of candour to be honest with you about what happened. This is really important regardless of solicitor/compensation etc.
I had a planned C which went OK but I had an absolutely awful infection and was hospitalised with it and it took 6 months before my scar healed over. So whilst very different just wanted to share so you can see other people have bad experiences too.