Man collapses with ruptured appendix... three weeks after NHS doctors 'took it out'
By Daniel Bates
Last updated at 12:15 AM on 26th August 2009After weeks of excruciating pain, Mark Wattson was understandably relieved to have his appendix taken out.
Doctors told him the operation was a success and he was sent home.
But only a month later the 35-year-old collapsed in agony and had to be taken back to Great Western Hospital in Swindon by ambulance.
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Mark Wattson, 35, from Swindon may have been the victim of botched surgery after he had to have his appendix removed twice
To his shock, surgeons from the same team told him that not only was his appendix still inside him, but it had ruptured - a potentially fatal complication.
In a second operation it was finally removed, leaving Mr Wattson fearing another organ might have been taken out during the first procedure.
The blunder has left Mr Wattson jobless, as bosses at the shop where he worked did not believe his story and sacked him.
Mr Wattson told of the moment he realised there had been a serious mistake.
'I was lying on a stretcher in terrible pain and a doctor came up to me and said that my appendix had burst,' he said.
'I couldn't believe what I was hearing. I told these people I had my appendix out just four weeks earlier but there it was on the scanner screen for all to see.
'I thought, "What the hell did they slice me open for in the first place?"
'I feel that if the surgery had been done correctly in the first place I wouldn't be in the mess I am today. I'm disgusted by the whole experience.'
Mr Wattson first went under the knife on July 7 after experiencing severe abdominal pain for several weeks. He was discharged but exactly a month later he had to dial 999 after collapsing in agony.
Mr Wattson was readmitted to the Great Western Hospital in Swindon after his appendix ruptured
Following the second operation his incision became infected and he was admitted to hospital for a third time for treatment.
He said: 'I had a temporary job at a sports shop but when I took in two medical certificates saying I had my appendix out twice they didn't believe me.
'Now I'm helpless. I can't go out and find a job, I can't go to interviews, I can barely walk and am in constant pain. Before the first operation they told me I had to have my appendix removed and when I woke up afterwards they said it had been a complete success.
'But then I keeled over in agony one month later and when they did some tests at the hospital we could see the appendix was still there on the scans.
'As far as I was aware they took my appendix out and no one told me any different.
'I have no idea what they did take out, but I want to find out what went wrong.'
A spokesman for Great Western Hospital confirmed that a representative had met Mr Wattson and that an investigation had been started.
He was unable to confirm what, if anything, was removed in the first operation.
Paul Gearing, deputy general manager for general surgery at Great Western Hospital NHS Trust, said: 'We are unable to comment on individual cases.
'However, we would like to apologise if Mr Wattson felt dissatisfied with the care he received at Great Western Hospital.'
- Compensation payments to NHS patients have risen by 20 per cent in the past year to a record high of �769million. At this rate more than �2million a day is being paid over claims against the Health Service.
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I'm not one for suing the NHS but this time I think at least the doctor ought to be sued, cos somebody somewhere messed up royally. It sounds like he won't be able to work for a while after all the surgery he has had to under go., and you can't blame his employer for sacking him, I haven't heard of anyone with two appendixes.
- liz, Florida USA, 25/8/2009 21:04
The NHS is now little more than a money consuming mess that fails to deliver on all fronts..... and all this after 10 years under the control of the only party that cares or so it claims every time an election looms.
- Dave Kendall, St Helens, 25/8/2009 21:01
HOSPITAL,Probably the most DANGEROUS place on Earth ! ! !.Make a good TV game,see if you can survive 4 weeks in hospital ??.
- JohnB, Bristol.UK., 25/8/2009 20:59
Becky in London, so you have free healthcare in England do you? Those doctors and nurses work without compensation, the building is supplied with free utilities, and drugs are "free", the building was "free", etc. This is how socialism gets its hooks into the simple minded. Once the government takes your money in the form of taxes, any services they deem you can have is "free" because you don't pay for it out of your pocket at that time, just every paycheck in a stealh manner. Get a grip. Your healthcare is not free, you have a massive VAT, you have all your other taxes, and you have queues for medical care, we don't in the US unless.
- Doug, Lincoln, NE (USA), 25/8/2009 20:57
Becky,
Just what do you consider to be "free?" Do you not only pay for your own care, but the care of others as well, those who may or may not work? What percentage of your paycheck is taken out in taxes to pay for this "free" health care, free housing, free elderly care, etc?
- crockett, Knoxville, USA, 25/8/2009 20:56
I hope the NHS bills this wastrel for the unnecessary expanses!
Shame on you, Mr. Wattson!
- Robt, ex, living in Texas, 25/8/2009 20:54
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You just have to love that government controlled healthcare. So efficient and accurate. I can't see why with articles like this and the one about British Columbia cancelling necessary surgeries are turning people against government run healthcare. Oh wait, yes I can.
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