A mother who suffered debilitating pain from vaginal mesh has won a record settlement of at least £1 million from the NHS.
Yvette Greenway Mansfield, 59, from Leamington Spa, attended Coventry University in 2009 to treat prolapse, a condition in which the muscles and tissues in the pelvis become weak and organs such as the uterus slide into the vagina. A pelvic mesh was fitted at the hospital.
But it wasn’t until 2017 that she faced serious complications from the implant, including severe pain, bleeding and incontinence.
Her medical negligence claim against Coventry University Hospital and Warwickshire NHS Trust found that her consent form had been altered after it had been signed.
Her lawyer’s office says the surgery was also performed prematurely.
Yvette Greenway Mansfield (pictured), 59, of Leamington Spa, underwent treatment for uterine prolapse in 2009, when the muscles and tissues in the pelvis weaken and the uterus and other organs slide into the vagina. Pelvic mesh was fitted at Coventry University Hospital. However, it wasn’t until 2017 that she faced serious complications, including severe pain and bleeding, and her implants made her incontinent.
Her medical negligence claim against Coventry University Hospital and Warwickshire NHS Trust found that her consent form had been altered after it had been signed. Her lawyer’s office says the surgery was also performed prematurely.Pictured is Mrs Greenway Mansfield and her husband Michael Mansfield QC, aged 82.
Mrs Greenway-Mansfield hailed the compensation as a “huge relief” but accused the government of failing to support the claims of thousands of other women.
Vaginal mesh is a plastic net-like material that is inserted into the vaginal wall to provide support for organs such as the bladder.
It was once regularly offered on the NHS to treat prolapse and incontinence, two common problems after childbirth.
However, this led to a series of health problems for thousands of women, including sexual dysfunction and damage to the vaginal walls.
Some people have had the mesh cut through their vaginal walls or penetrate their bladders.
Victims of the operation were branded “barbaric” by campaigners and were left barely able to walk.
Discussing the settlement, Mrs Greenway-Mansfield said: guardian: “It’s not just me. There are thousands of me.
“Significant funding should be put in place to provide compensation to these women and a care plan as an automatic response for those injured by the mesh.”
“At the end of the day, it comes down to awareness of women and women’s health issues. We’ve all had enough.”
Mrs Greenway-Mansfield, who is married to barrister Michael Mansfield QC, 82, first visited her GP in 2009 after experiencing increased urination frequency and lower abdominal discomfort.
She was told she had a prolapsed uterus and was recommended a transvaginal tape (TVT) mesh implant.
However, in August 2017, she suffered from sudden excruciating pain in her lower right abdomen, which spread to her legs and started bleeding from her vagina.
Her pain became more intense and she was told there was no obvious medical solution.
In February 2020, the mesh was removed following a personal referral to Spire Bristol Hospital.
However, she continues to suffer from urinary and fecal incontinence and chronic pain.
Her complaint against the hospital trust revealed that Mrs Greenway-Mansfield’s consent form for the procedure had been changed after it was signed.
The risks of the surgery, including cystoscopy, tape erosion, pain, overactive bladder, and deep vein thrombosis, were not listed in the original consent form, which she kept a copy of.
she said: She said: “I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. I felt completely vindicated.
“If I hadn’t kept that document, I could have stood up in court and been shot and branded a liar,” she said. “My heart breaks for the women who have to go through that.”
Neil Creighton, clinical negligence partner at Lyme Solicitors, which acted for Greenway Mansfield, said: “Coventry University Hospital and Warwickshire NHS Trust have received sufficient consent from Mrs Greenway Mansfield for any surgical procedure. “We have a duty of care to ensure that informed consent is obtained.” We will explain the risks that may arise as a result. ”
“The gynecologist prematurely proceeded with the surgery before all behavioral and medical options had been exhausted.
Additionally, she performed the wrong surgery for the wrong symptoms and proceeded with the surgery unnecessarily.
“What is particularly shocking is that Mrs. Greenway-Mansfield signed a consent form that was later amended to include risks of which she had not previously been informed.
“No amount of money can fully compensate Mrs. Greenway-Mansfield for the pain she has suffered and will continue to experience, and for the care she will require throughout her life. All of this… This is because she never needed the mesh in the first place.”
A spokesperson for Coventry University Hospital and Warwickshire NHS Trust said: “We would like to extend our sincere apologies directly to Mrs Greenway-Mansfield and acknowledge the impact on her life as a result of this procedure in 2009. I’m very aware of that,” he said.
“The provision of procedures using vaginal mesh to treat stress urinary incontinence and pelvic organ prolapse has been suspended in the UK since 2019, with a specialist center set to be established in 2022.”
“We hope this settlement will allow Mrs. Greenway-Mansfield to meet her ongoing care needs and provide peace of mind for her and her family in the future.”
It’s unclear how many women’s lives were ruined by the mesh, but Baroness Cumberlage, who led the official inquiry into the scandal (published in 2020), estimated the number to be “tens of thousands”. .
Vaginal mesh is a plastic net-like material that is inserted into the vaginal wall to provide support for organs such as the bladder. It was once regularly offered on the NHS to treat prolapse and incontinence, two common problems after childbirth. However, this led to a series of health problems for thousands of women, including sexual dysfunction and damage to the vaginal walls.
The use of mesh for stress urinary incontinence was suspended in July 2018, as recommended by the study’s interim report.
Mesh, also known as tension-free vaginal tape (TVT), was introduced as a surgical method to treat stress urinary incontinence.
The disease, which affects millions of women in the UK, causes urine to leak from the bladder involuntarily. Figures show that six in 10 women live with at least one symptom of poor pelvic floor health, such as urinary incontinence or pelvic organ prolapse.
Some people can be affected by just a few drops, caused by coughing, sneezing, or any type of exercise.
However, some people empty their entire bladder without warning. This problem usually occurs as a result of weakening or damage to the muscle network in the pelvis involved in urination. This is common after childbirth.
During surgery, a mesh, usually made of a type of plastic, is inserted through a small incision in the vagina.
It is placed under the urethra, the small tube that carries urine from the bladder to the outside of the body, and is intended to support weak muscles and improve control.
Last year Karen Prieter was awarded £970,000 in a clinical negligence case over vaginal mesh surgery performed at a North Wales hospital in 2014.
The case found that Mrs Preeter, who underwent vaginal mesh surgery in January 2014, did not properly consent to the surgery.
The surgery itself was performed carelessly and left her with chronic, life-changing pain as a result.