Pay-out over unnecessary leg amputation
By Emily Cook 12/10/2009
A woman whose leg was needlessly amputated has received a six-figure payout from the hospital trust responsible for the blunder.
Doreen Nicholls, 72, was told a lump in her foot was cancerous and that her leg should be removed.
But after the operation at the Royal Orthopaedic Hospital (ROH), Birmingham, she was told the lump had not been cancerous after all.
Mrs Nicholls, from Halesowen, West Mids, was told a biopsy showed “features of an aggressive tumour” and was advised that a below-the-knee amputation would stop the cancer spreading. She had surgery in October 2007.
After further post-op tests it was discovered the swelling was due to a non-cancerous condition.
Mrs Nicholls said: “When my surgeon admitted there was no cancer after all, I was in complete shock.” The ROH NHS Foundation Trust, which agreed an out-of-court pay-out, said it was “deeply sorry”.
amputated, biopsy, cancer, cancerous, Doreen Nicholls, lump, payout, tumour or send a Trackback from your own site.
