Settlement for injuries caused by transvaginal tape inserted without proper consent

Penningtons Manches Cooper’s clinical negligence team has recently settled a claim for a woman who suffered complications caused by the insertion of a transvaginal tape (TVT). She suffered severe pain and bleeding, which affected her relationships, career, social life and mental health. She also had to undergo two further surgeries.

Our client initially sought advice from her doctor after experiencing some dampness after childbirth. She was referred to a gynaecologist who, during her one and only consultation with him in 2015, recommended she undergo an insertion of TVT, as well as an anterior repair (a procedure to repair the vaginal wall).  

Our client’s evidence was that she was not advised of any conservative treatment, such as pelvic floor physiotherapy. Had she been aware that this was also an option, she would have chosen this, rather than proceed to surgery. 

Unfortunately, five years after the TVT was inserted, our client experienced chronic pain and bleeding and, following investigations, it was apparent that the vaginal mesh had snapped into a ‘V’ shape and was cutting into her urethra. Our client has been through a turbulent time over the last four years dealing with the implications of this, and underwent two surgeries to rectify the situation.

After our investigations into the claim, we put forward our client’s case to the defendant, but they denied there had been any failure in the care provided. Despite this denial, we challenged their defence and were able to negotiate a settlement. 

We were pleased to achieve a financial settlement for our client. We know money can never truly compensate her for the physical and psychological injury she has had to withstand over the years and the impact this will have had on her life, but we hope that it will go some way to helping her reach closure after the torrid time she has been through. 

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