UK – 2nd November, 2016: Natasha Richardson, 26, was accidentally cut by surgeons during her Caeserean section and developed a flesh-eating bug. Surgeons were unaware of their error until the receptionist returned to hospital 10 days later suffering from intense stomach pain. After being transferred to intensive care and operated on, she was diagnosed with necrotising fasciitis which had eaten away at her womb and surrounding tissue.
She was then transferred for a hysterectomy to remove all of the infection - leaving her unable to extend her family.
Ms Richardson, from Harrogate, said: 'I am pleased that the hospital have acknowledged what they did wrong but to think that all I needed was antibiotics is heart-breaking. I can't believe what I have been through for them missing something so simple. It was always our intention to have three children and now that will not happen.'
'It is sad to think about what we could have had. And I've only just started to think about this, in the early days I could only think about healing.' Ms Richardson was told she needed a Caesarean because there were problems with her child's heart. And despite Noah arriving at a healthy 6lbs 2oz, she was left cut from the operation - but doctors had no idea. Because they were not aware of their error she was stitched up while she was suffering internal bleeding.
Doctors soon realised what had happened as she was in severe pain. She was then transferred to intensive care and operated on. But because she wasn't given antibiotics after the C-section she developed a severe flesh eating bug, experts say. She was sent home five days after the second operation and she put her weakness, fatigue and pain down to giving birth.
But it was when she was rushed back to Leeds General Infirmary, where she had given birth, 10 days later that they realised she had developed necrotising fasciitis.
This devastating bug had eaten away at her womb and surrounding stomach muscles and tissue.
She was transferred to a different hospital where they performed a hysterectomy. Over the following months Ms Richardson had a further six operations to remove all of the bacteria.
This left her with an open wound in her stomach and very little muscles. She had to remain in hospital attached to a vacuum machine to help her open wound heal.
But her pain continues - as she has now developed a hernia and has terrible scars - with one on her stomach measuring 30cm x 10cm, leaving her conscious over what she wears. Because of her lack of stomach muscles, it affects what she can and can't do and it can be painful when Noah jumps on her. She is also unable to go anywhere alone with him because she is unable to pick him up and carry him.
She is now set to go under the knife again as surgeons attempt to repair the hernia, reconstruct her stomach and to perform plastic surgery. She and her partner, Jamie, 25, have thought about surrogacy because her ovaries remain intact. But she said it is a 'big thing' for her to get her head around because Noah is almost four and she didn't want such a big age gap.
During the investigation into her care, Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust admitted she should have been prescribed antibiotics within an hour of the initial operation. They also found had this been done she would not have developed the infection - and the extensive surgery and hysterectomy would have been avoided.
Rebecca Pearey, an expert medical negligence lawyer at Irwin Mitchell, who represents Natasha, said: 'The failures to prescribe antibiotics at the crucial time have clearly had a massive and devastating impact on Natasha as she has had to rethink the plans she had for her family and her working life. Natasha has undergone a number of invasive and complex surgeries to correct the problems caused by the failure to administer antibiotics following her C-section. Understandably, the prospect of surrogacy in the future, rather than conceiving children naturally, has caused a great deal of stress and anxiety for Natasha and Jamie. Natasha was in a great deal of pain for some time after each of the operations she has been through and the ordeal has also had a psychological impact on her and her family. The Trust has admitted liability for the problems Natasha has faced, which has come as a relief to her, but she is also keen to ensure the Trust learns from this incident and puts steps in place so that this doesn't happen to anybody else.'
Professor Suzanne Hinchliffe, deputy chief executive at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, said: 'On behalf of the Trust I would like to express our sincere apologies to Ms Richardson and her family. This was an extremely tragic case and we have looked carefully at what occurred and made changes to our Caesarean clinical guidelines as a result.'
Source: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-3897086/Mother-one-left-unable-children-surgeons-removed-womb-ravaged-flesh-eating-bug.html