Home > Publications > Selected Cases > Selected Investigations Completed December 2002March 2003 > Case no. E.2040/00-01
Complaint against Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust
Summary of Case
Mrs P, who was 24 weeks pregnant, was admitted to the maternity unit of the Royal Preston Hospital in considerable pain. She was given an epidural, and complained of weakness and numbness in her left foot and knee soon afterwards. On the following morning Mrs P, who had not progressed to early labour, trapped her left foot between the stirrup and the mattress of her bed. Mrs P’s symptoms persisted in her foot, and she was discharged a few days later with a walking frame and referred to physiotherapy. Ten days later she fell at home as a result of the problems with her leg, her waters broke and her baby did not survive. Mrs P complained that the epidural had damaged the nerves in her foot, and went on to question whether the stirrup incident might have caused damage. The Trust undertook extensive neurological tests to try to establish the cause of Mrs P’s disability, and she was examined by a neurologist in a regional centre. No evidence of nerve damage, or of any damage to Mrs P’s foot related to her treatment by the Trust, was established. Mrs P remained dissatisfied with the Trust’s explanations of why the epidural was unlikely to have been the cause of her symptoms. Mrs P’s condition did not improve and she had two admissions to A&E following other falls. She continues to suffer from a significant disability such that she walks with the aid of crutches, has had a stair lift installed at home and can only drive an automatic car.
Findings
The Ombudsman’s assessor noted that the two sets of nerve conduction studies that were undertaken proved that the epidural did not cause damage to Mrs P’s nerves or nerve roots. The assessor concluded that there was no evidence to suggest that Mrs P’s current disability resulted from any aspect of her care at the Trust. The Ombudsman reviewed the Trust’s explanations to Mrs P of the results of the successive tests that were undertaken, and concluded that the Trust offered accurate and reasonable explanations to Mrs P. She did not uphold the complaint.
Remedy
As no failings were identified in the investigation, no remedy was recommended. The Ombudsman expressed the hope that the report clarified matters for Mrs P.
Previous < Contents > Next
Back to top
|
