adminA care home manager has been awarded more than £20,000 after a botched tummy tuck led to her belly button exploding during a flight.Patricia Jackson, 68, of Bridlington, East Yorkshire, had received surgery to remove excess skin after a tough weight loss routine.
But years later she found her stomach had burst during a terrifying midair ordeal on a flight to Portugal.
She underwent an abdominoplasty with the Hospital Group at its Birmingham Dolan Park clinic in 2005.
Following the operation, surgeons told Jackson that they had not “created” a new belly button for her because there was not enough skin left over after the operation.
But it later emerged that they had left part of the old one inside her, the spokeswoman said.
During a flight in 2011, Jackson noticed with horror that there were blisters around where her old belly button had been – before her stomach completely exploded.
Following the horrifying incident, medics discovered her old belly button had been left inside her and she once again had to undergo reconstructive surgery.
Earlier this year she was awarded £22,500 compensation.
“The result of my case means that awareness has been raised and it can hopefully change patient care in the future,” Jackson said.
Jeanette Aspinall, head of medical negligence at Fletchers Solicitors, said:
“This case highlights how easy it is for an everyday cosmetic surgery procedure, like a tummy tuck, to go wrong, both with the surgery itself and if the proper after-care is not administered.
“Mrs Jackson had the operation to gain confidence, and instead was subjected to years of pain and embarrassment.”-AP
Bongani Ndlovu
Online Reporter