Surgeon did not get fully informed consent for hip replacement

Summary 907 |

When Mr P developed problems after his hip replacement, he was unprepared because the surgeon had not fully explained the risks of the surgery beforehand.


What happened

Mr P had hip replacement surgery in winter 2013. His recovery progressed well until early spring 2014, when he suddenly experienced extreme pain at the top of his right leg. He was referred for a scan, and this showed that he had a gap in the muscle attached to his femur bone. The surgeon did not recommend further surgery to try to resolve the situation because it was unlikely to be successful.

What we found

We partly upheld this complaint. Although there were no failings in the care and treatment Mr P received during and after his surgery, he had not been told beforehand that this particular known complication could arise.

Putting it right

The Trust apologised for what had happened and put a plan in place to learn lessons to make sure they do not happen again.

Health or Parliamentary
Health
Organisations we investigated
Location

Tyne and Wear

Complainants' concerns ?

Replied with inaccurate or incomplete information

Result

Apology

Recommendation to learn lessons or draw up an action plan