Man in ‘constant pain’ since undergoing routine operation
A MAN who went in for a routine hernia operation claims his testicle is shrinking as a result of the procedure, which he says has left him in “constant pain”.
Stephen Phillips, 55, a service engineer from Tonteg, says his life has become unbearable as a consequence of what he believes were complications following the surgery.
Mr Phillips was operated on at the private Spire Hospital in Cardiff in January 2017 to repair a hernia in his groin.
A surgical mesh was used to provide reinforcement to the area after the hernia was repaired.
He believes the surgical mesh is pressing on a blood vessel leading to his testicular region.
He described the issue as “like someone stepping on a hosepipe which is causing a low blood supply to my testicle”.
“It’s causing me a lot of pain and has caused my testicle to get smaller and smaller,” he said.
“It’s basically been dying for years. I’m having to have testosterone every 12 weeks for the rest of my life because the testicle is not working correctly.”
Mr Phillips lost one of his testicles following surgery for testicular cancer in 2005.
A spokesperson for Spire said it makes all patients aware of the possible complications of surgery and that Mr Phillips signed a consent form for the operation, adding it was “sorry” for any distress he’d endured.
Mr Phillips said after a “very short operation – around 45 minutes or so” – the pain started almost as soon as the “anaesthetic had worn off”.
He added: “I could hardly walk. In simple terms, I’ve never recovered. I’ve never not been in pain and the pain can be excruciating.
“I’ve been back and forth complaining.
“Three or four months after the operation, I went back to the hospital and asked the surgeon to remove the mesh, but they said they couldn’t because it had migrated into the skin.”
Complications from surgeries involving mesh have hit the headlines recently across the UK.
Many women who have had pelvic mesh surgery say their lives have been torn apart, with some suing for damages. Last week, a mum-of-two from Swansea shared how complications from vaginal mesh surgery left her in constant pain and unable to be intimate with her husband.
Mr Phillips said he now wished he hadn’t had the operation.
The operation only took place at the Spire in Cardiff as he was signposted there by the NHS due to capacity issues at Prince Charles Hospital and the Royal Glamorgan Hospital.
“I don’t believe I was aware of the complications that can arise from mesh surgery,” he claimed.
“I only have one testicle and I’m only 55 and it’s basically ruined my life. My testicle had been working quite fine before all this and it was only a little hernia.
“I thought I better get it done because I was getting older and I’d heard of the possibility of strangulation of the testicle.”
A spokesperson for Spire said it makes all patients aware of the possible complications of surgery and that Mr Phillips signed a consent form for the operation following a conversation about possible complications with the surgeon.
They added that Spire has been cooperating with Mr Phillips on his issues since the operation, although last contact was made in February 2023.
Explaining his symptoms, Mr Phillips said: “It’s constant pain. If you press on the area where I had the operation it’s very painful.
“Even putting my shoes on and tying my laces is agony. It’s put a great burden on me at work where I’ve lost a lot of jobs. With the pressure on it, the pain can often be very bad – like a dull ache that’s constantly there.
“If I step into my van, more often than not I get a lot of pain in that area as I lift my leg up.
“When I go to bed I tend to wake up every 10 minutes in pain.
“That causes me to be very tired during the day and sometimes I can’t work as a result. It’s left me in a terrible state mentally.
“I’ve been to many doctors and haven’t got anywhere. I feel I’ve been put off for years.
“This is why I’m making it public because I want the world to know what I’ve been through. How can I still be in so much pain?”
A spokesperson for Spire said: “Spire Healthcare is sorry for Mr Phillips’ experience and for any distress.
“We do not comment on individual patient cases.
“We have a clear consent policy which includes the discussion of benefits and risks with the patient.
“Treatment only begins once the patient has given their full consent.
“More detail on our consent policy is available on our website.”