Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
General health

Mumsnet doesn't verify the qualifications of users. If you have medical concerns, please consult a healthcare professional.

Original poster

Surgeon didnt do the right procedure

17 replies

BlueJr · 17/03/2024 15:51

I apologise if this turns into a long one.
I need advice.

After having my daughter 6 years ago I had severe hemorrhoids. Once they went away I was left with excess skin. This would get very irritated and sore. Not to mention how difficult it was to keep the area clean without pain.
I finally went to my gp last year about this. He referred me to colorectal. The consultant I saw seemed lovely. I explained I was sick of having so much pain and irritation and j wanted the skin gone. After examining me he stated I had 2 anal fissures. I explained I never had and pain or symptoms from them and that j was only concerned about the excess skin.
He suggested I try some cream for 3 months to give the fissures time to heal. He told me to call back in 3 months if I still want the skin removing.
I did this and had my procedure this morning.
Through every step when the staff asked "do you understand the procedure" I explained I am having excess skin removed and possible internal botox to reduce the liklihood of future fissures.
The surgeon himself confirmed this when he also asked.

So I wake up from the procedure in a lot of pain, once I was ready for discharge the nurse once again went through the procedure but mentioned only botox and correction of internal fissures.
I said and skin removal from the outside?
She said ah he may have, yes.

I got home and qas getting changed into something comfy to settle in for recovery. I decided to take a look to be aware of what was going on down there. I was greeted with a horrendous amount of bruising, and the skin still there!
I called the unit I had been on and explained he hasn't don't the procedure I was referred for or the procedure I thought I was getting. I have been asked to call back tomorrow to speak with his secretary to have a messaged passed along to him.

How is this possible? How can I go in expecting one procedure with possible other correctives, to come out with this?
And for no one to have told me???
I feel completely violated! You are supposed to be able to trust that these people are going to do the job they are there for, at the very least explain why they havent. I am in a lot of pain, confused, feeling so vulnerable.
What am I supposed to do from here? I feel like I can't trust him to go back and fix the original issue but I'm still going to have the same problem. I've just had totally unnecessary surgery today, considering I didn't have any issues internally.

OP posts:
ChocHotolate · 17/03/2024 15:52

Do you have a copy of your consent form? That will tell you exactly what the planned procedure was. This is awful for you

Original poster
BlueJr · 17/03/2024 15:57

ChocHotolate · 17/03/2024 15:52

Do you have a copy of your consent form? That will tell you exactly what the planned procedure was. This is awful for you

The consent form was only written out today due to me taking a cancellation spot. I only have my discharge notes outlining what he actually did. I feel rotten. The bruising is like nothing else I've experienced.

OP posts:
WaitingForSunnyDays · 17/03/2024 15:58

That's awful. Are you in the UK? I would ask for a copy of your consent form, and do you remember what was written?

DaftyLass · 17/03/2024 15:59

I am so sorry this has happened, it sounds like they were focused on the fissures, and not the skin
Hopefully your consult /consent form has it spelled out so they can make it right

Original poster
BlueJr · 17/03/2024 16:16

WaitingForSunnyDays · 17/03/2024 15:58

That's awful. Are you in the UK? I would ask for a copy of your consent form, and do you remember what was written?

Yeah in the UK.
I'm still a bit groggy from the anesthesia but the guy was writing and telling me what he was writing. I'm almost 100% certain the first thing he wrote was the skin removal. Do I ask for a copy from the unit I was in?

OP posts:
Original poster
BlueJr · 17/03/2024 16:17

DaftyLass · 17/03/2024 15:59

I am so sorry this has happened, it sounds like they were focused on the fissures, and not the skin
Hopefully your consult /consent form has it spelled out so they can make it right

Problem is just how gross and violated I feel right now. I dont know that I can let him near me again. I wonder if maybe there's someone else I could go to

OP posts:
TeaSoakedDisasterMagnet · 17/03/2024 16:59

You need to speak to PALS as soon as possible. You need to document everything. Do a subject access request to ask for a copy of the referral from your GP and the notes from the surgery. There’s a big red flag as to why the consent forms were not done BEFORE surgery, it does not matter that it was a last minute slot, they should not have operated without the forms. You should also have been asked during the prep what surgery you were expecting and it should have matched what was written on the forms.

Greybeardy · 17/03/2024 16:59

Just a thought, but it's often easier to examine someone better once they're anaesthetised and not feeling pain/discomfort - perhaps they felt on examination and reflection that removing the skin tags might cause more harm than good or was a more complicated procedure than you'd discussed, in which case not doing the procedure or only doing the least invasive thing that might help and had been discussed at consent would be the appropriate thing. They probably should have spoken to you afterwards, but unfortunately if it's an all day list and a daycase procedure often patients are ready to go home before the list is finished and the surgeon can get out. Hopefully they'll shed more light when you speak to them.

MsFaversham · 17/03/2024 17:44

Greybeardy · 17/03/2024 16:59

Just a thought, but it's often easier to examine someone better once they're anaesthetised and not feeling pain/discomfort - perhaps they felt on examination and reflection that removing the skin tags might cause more harm than good or was a more complicated procedure than you'd discussed, in which case not doing the procedure or only doing the least invasive thing that might help and had been discussed at consent would be the appropriate thing. They probably should have spoken to you afterwards, but unfortunately if it's an all day list and a daycase procedure often patients are ready to go home before the list is finished and the surgeon can get out. Hopefully they'll shed more light when you speak to them.

Edited

They should have explained that then. Not probably should have.

Trulyme · 17/03/2024 18:17

Is this NHS or private?

Did they explain how the skin would be removed?
Is it possible it’s a procedure like banding where it will drop off in a few weeks time?

I would absolutely keep on at them until you get the correct procedure.

I would go with the same surgeon, because it’s not like he did something completely different, he just didn’t do everything (the main thing) he was meant to do.

I understand your frustration but I’d sort of feel that he didn’t do it, so he should be the one to sort it out asap but if you’re not comfortable then ask to see someone else but id ask that it’s asap.

Did you have time off work or anything for it?

Original poster
BlueJr · 18/03/2024 11:35

TeaSoakedDisasterMagnet · 17/03/2024 16:59

You need to speak to PALS as soon as possible. You need to document everything. Do a subject access request to ask for a copy of the referral from your GP and the notes from the surgery. There’s a big red flag as to why the consent forms were not done BEFORE surgery, it does not matter that it was a last minute slot, they should not have operated without the forms. You should also have been asked during the prep what surgery you were expecting and it should have matched what was written on the forms.

I've contacted his secretary today and she said he will get in touch and explain exactly what has and hasn't been done. Even from the paperwork she had she was unsure as to what had been done. I think youve misunderstood the consent for was done before the procedure, just before I went down, I got it all done on the same day.
The consultant had come in while we were doing it and rushed me to sign before the form had been completed. I was asked repeatedly if I understood the procedure by lots of different people. Including the surgeon himself. Every person I explained "skin tag removal and possible repair and botox if needed" they all agreed.

OP posts:
Original poster
BlueJr · 18/03/2024 11:38

Greybeardy · 17/03/2024 16:59

Just a thought, but it's often easier to examine someone better once they're anaesthetised and not feeling pain/discomfort - perhaps they felt on examination and reflection that removing the skin tags might cause more harm than good or was a more complicated procedure than you'd discussed, in which case not doing the procedure or only doing the least invasive thing that might help and had been discussed at consent would be the appropriate thing. They probably should have spoken to you afterwards, but unfortunately if it's an all day list and a daycase procedure often patients are ready to go home before the list is finished and the surgeon can get out. Hopefully they'll shed more light when you speak to them.

Edited

They did explain that they are examining under anesthesia. For the repair and botox. The skin removal was to be done regardless.
When he first offered the repair and botox I explained I was only agreeing to it because he would be there doing the removal, if it wasn't necessary to just leave it as I had no pain from that. He explained the skin removal was very straight forward.

OP posts:
Original poster
BlueJr · 18/03/2024 11:42

Trulyme · 17/03/2024 18:17

Is this NHS or private?

Did they explain how the skin would be removed?
Is it possible it’s a procedure like banding where it will drop off in a few weeks time?

I would absolutely keep on at them until you get the correct procedure.

I would go with the same surgeon, because it’s not like he did something completely different, he just didn’t do everything (the main thing) he was meant to do.

I understand your frustration but I’d sort of feel that he didn’t do it, so he should be the one to sort it out asap but if you’re not comfortable then ask to see someone else but id ask that it’s asap.

Did you have time off work or anything for it?

It's nhs, he didn't say how he would remove the skin just that it would be gone. I assumed he would be cutting it off as he explained it may be tender due to having a slightly open wound and explained how to care for it.

I do appreciate what you're saying about using the same person but he did 2 things that in my eyes were unnecessary as I wasn't symptomatic. The recovery for the things he has done are much worse. The bit he didn't do is usually less than a week. What I'm left with is massive bruising, swelling and horrendous pain. I would have had only very mild pain if he had just removed the skin. Nothing else. Luckily I don't need to worry about work right now as I took a year out while dealing with cerival cancer

OP posts:
Snippit · 18/03/2024 11:54

My daughter has had many procedures for endometriosis. What surprised us was the lack of information and things that were written that had never been discussed or prescribed, and who do they believe 🤷‍♀️ Communication in the NHS is really, really poor, I no longer trust them.

LIZS · 18/03/2024 11:55

You should have a copy of the consent form. If they have done something different was that listed as a possibility? If not it should be treated as an incident and under Duty of Candour you are due an explanation.

polkadot24 · 18/03/2024 12:10

This isn't right at all.
You should have been given a copy [edn] before you left. As someone above said, contact PALS now and keep a paper trail of everything.

SoYoung · 23/03/2024 20:17

Hi, how are you doing? Have you been able to get any answers from the surgeon?

New posts on this thread. Refresh page