A MAN says he woke up from hernia surgery to a doctor whispering: “I’m sorry, we made a mistake.”
Tom Hadrys, 63, was only partially conscious after the operation, so we chalked it up to a post-procedure blur.
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But 105 minutes later he returned to the operating room with panicked medical staff.
It turned out that the surgeon had accidentally left a bag of medical samples inside his stomach, as well as part of Tom’s intestine that he had cut out.
Both were successfully extracted, but Tom still faces related problems eight years later.
The incident, at the Royal Sussex County Hospital in Brighton in 2016, was classed as a “never event” – meaning it should never have happened.
Tom received a £15,000 settlement and an apology.
Professor Katie Urch, medical director at University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust, said: “Our surgical team are committed to providing the best and safest care for our patients, often in challenging situations.
“Surgeons don’t work individually, they work collaboratively in teams.
“These teams are highly qualified, carrying out complex surgeries that are never without risk.
“Your results are continuously and closely monitored – both internally and externally – and whenever our care falls short of our high standards, we take immediate action to learn and improve.”
Tom was in bed in a recovery ward when the effects of the general anesthesia began to wear off.
In a faint drowsy blur, he remembers being approached by a doctor.
“I was conscious and I heard who must have been the surgeon whispering in my ear, ‘I’m sorry, but we made a mistake,'” he said. BBC News Evening.
The retired engineer remained in the hospital while the surgeon, who was at the end of his shift, returned home.
It was only whilst in the car that he suddenly realized he had left a ‘Bert’ bag (used to remove body parts) inside Tom’s abdominal cavity – as well as a piece of his intestine.
The doctor immediately returned to the hospital and took the patient for further surgery.
A serious incident investigation was carried out and new and improved practices were introduced for all surgeons.
Tom’s doctor still works at the Trust.
I’m still hurting, there’s no doubt it’s affected me
Tom Hadrys
Tom says he lives with deep scars on his stomach and faces daily difficulties related to medical error.
“I’m still grieving, there’s no doubt it’s affected me,” he said.
“Because my abdomen is weak now, I can’t lift anything heavy.”
According to BBCother concerns were repeatedly raised about the surgeon in question in the following years.
The General Medical Council (GMC) and Care Quality Commission (CQC) considered that no further action was necessary.
The hospital was deemed “in need of improvement” during its most recent inspection in February 2024.
The 12 most common NHS ‘never events’
So-called “never events” are dangerous errors that “should not occur if healthcare providers had implemented safety recommendations,” according to the NHS.
Around 179 serious and preventable safety incidents occurred in hospitals between April and September 2023, the latest figures show.
Patients have had organs removed incorrectly, had IUDs inserted by mistake, and been scalded by hot water left at their bedside.
Others had vaginal swabs, drills and surgical needles left inside them.
The 12 most common mistakes last year were:
- Surgery in the wrong location (109 times)
- Retained foreign object posting procedure (37 times)
- Wong implant/prosthesis (21 times)
- Change naso or orogastric tubes (15 times)
- Administration of medication by wrong route (nine times)
- Transfusion or transplantation of ABO-incompatible blood components or organs (seven times)
- Insulin overdose due to incorrect abbreviations or device (four times)
- Unintentional connection of a patient requiring oxygen to an air flowmeter (three times)
- Methotrexate overdose for non-cancer treatment (twice)
- Falls from poorly restrained windows (once)
- Failure to install functional folding shower or curtain rails (one time)
- Scalding of patients (once)
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