A man has obtained damages after multiple opportunities to diagnose a bowel obstruction caused by a tumour were missed.
He had attended hospital several times over two months, suffering from abdominal pain and bloating. He was initially diagnosed with irritable bowel syndrome. On one occasion his GP urgently referred him to hospital, raising the possibility of bowel obstruction, but no investigation was carried out.
A week later, his symptoms had worsened. An X-ray was taken and he was seen by a colorectal specialist, but it was only after he obtained a private CT scan that the tumour was identified. He underwent emergency surgery and had to have a stoma for three years before undergoing further surgery to reverse it.
He sought legal advice and commenced a claim against the NHS trust responsible for his care. Medical evidence was obtained establishing that there had been a number of missed opportunities to diagnose the tumour causing the bowel obstruction. Had the correct diagnosis been made earlier, it is likely that he would have undergone planned surgery and avoided the need for a stoma.
Although the NHS trust denied liability, a settlement of £87,500 was agreed.