A woman who experienced the misdiagnosis and substandard repair of a third-degree perineal tear following childbirth was awarded £3,000 compensation.
She was supported by Chanel Watson of Medical Solicitors to make a medical negligence claim against the hospital for her injuries.
In August 2021, the claimant ‘C’, a 29-year-old woman, gave birth to her son. Afterwards, she was found to have a tear to her perineum which was thought to be a second-degree tear. It was repaired by a locum obstetric registrar while she was still in the delivery suite.
A few hours later, C had some bleeding and was examined by a midwife who noticed a slight trickle when she massaged C’s uterus. She tried to check for clots but was unable to reach C’s cervix. She questioned the suturing of the tear and requested a review.
C was reviewed an hour later where it was estimated she’d lost 700ml of blood, but her obs were stable. An examination found that C’s vaginal canal was very narrow which prevented a full examination. She was sent to theatre to check for any retained placenta and to redo the tear repair under spinal anaesthetic.
In surgery, it was found that the anterior lip of the cervix has been stitched to the posterior vaginal wall. Two labial tears had also been stitched together, resulting in a narrow opening. Placental tissue was found in her womb, along with more than 400ml of clot.
C was told that the tear was misdiagnosed as second-degree when it was actually a 3a third degree.
Afterwards, C submitted a complaint via the PALS department. In response, the Trust’s investigation acknowledged that as the doctor had began stitching the tear, he had inadvertently caught the anterior lip of the cervix as he had put in the “anchor” suture.
The Trust apologised to C and admitted the doctor should have first assessed if the pain medication C received was effective enough to allow a thorough examination to correctly classify the tear. By using a spinal block in theatre, women are more comfortable which allows for better visualisation and correct repair.
The claim settled at a pre-action stage for £3,000 for C’s pain and suffering, avoidable scarring and maternal anxiety during subsequent pregnancies.