£100,000 compensation obtained for bladder injury during inadequate appendix surgery

Posted: 08/08/2025

The clinical negligence team has settled a £100,000 claim for a 13 year old young woman whose bladder was negligently injured during appendix removal surgery resulting in a bladder injury and long-term urinary urgency and urinary incontinence. 

The client underwent a laparoscopic appendectomy - the removal of the appendix via keyhole surgery - but almost immediately after the surgery she experienced significant abdominal pain and urinary retention. 

She was taken back to theatre where it was discovered that her bladder had been punctured by a suprapubic port used during the appendix surgery. Her bladder was repaired successfully but, due to the leakage of urine, she developed chemical peritonitis and required a surgical drain. 

Although the drain was removed before she was discharged home, she continued to require a catheter but when it was removed, she began to suffer from urinary urgency and urinary incontinence which was affecting her young life, particularly her education and social life. 

The team obtained supportive expert evidence from a general surgeon who explained that the procedure was conducted by the Hassan technique. This means that two ports placed in the suprapubic positions are inserted under direct supervision of a camera inserted in the belly button at the start of the procedure. 

As the ports are placed under direct vision, injury to the bladder should not occur and the only explanation was that one of the suprapubic ports had been placed too low and this had injured the dome of the bladder. The surgical expert confirmed that the bladder injury was the cause of her urinary urgency and incontinence issues. 

As it was unclear whether or not the client's urinary symptoms would resolve or remain long term, a pre-action letter of claim was sent to the hospital trust setting out the allegations together with a report from a paediatric-psychiatrist who diagnosed the client’s post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and recommended a course of cognitive behavioural therapy. 

A full admission of liability was received fairly promptly from the hospital trust, together with a letter of apology. Court proceedings did not have to be issued and the hospital trust agreed to an interim payment. This is a partial payment of compensation made before final settlement and is designed to help cover immediate expenses such as treatment costs. 

The client was able to use some of the interim funds to have some investigations in the private sector and it was hoped she could start a treatment program to help improve her symptoms.

When it became clear that her urinary symptoms would most likely remain long term, the claim was valued and settlement negotiations commenced. The claim settled for over £100,000 which will enable her to manage her symptoms with private treatment and hopefully move on with her life.  

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