Man suing Hull NHS after ‘negligent’ leg amputation
HE BELIEVES HIS LEG COULD HAVE BEEN SAVED
A MAN is suing the Hull NHS Trust for £200,000 after he had to have his leg amputated.
Michael Lynskey, 68, of Scunthorpe, claims his leg was “negligently” amputated at the knee in an operation on October 11, 2018.
Lawyers representing him said his left leg had to be amputated because a harmful ulcer formed on his heel after a delay was made in the diagnosis and treatment of his condition.
He had previously suffered ill health and had risk factors for vascular disease, including heart disease, diabetes, hypertension, and smoking, and had previously suffered from vascular disease, according to a legal writ issued at London’s High Court.
In January 2018, doctors noted that he had worsening varicose veins in his left leg, as well as pain which was sometimes excruciating.
He was prescribed increasing amounts of pain relief but the pain is said to have been so severe it made him cry, stopped him sleeping, and left him with suicidal thoughts.
The writ says his doctor was unable to examine him properly because of his extreme pain, and an examination in August 2018 showed severe narrowing of his right femoral artery, with other arteries diseased, and a left femoral artery blocked.
He developed an ulcer on his left heel in September 2018, and was admitted to Scunthorpe General Hospital in October, with no pulses in his legs, and cold pale limbs, it is alleged.
Mr Lynskey says he underwent a medical procedure to insert stents in the arteries, successfully restoring the blood flow, but on October 1, his left leg was amputated at the knee after doctors said there was a very poor prognosis for the leg.
Now he suffers from stump pain, phantom limb pain and other symptoms.
He also requires a wheelchair and care and assistance in his day-to-day life.
At the time that Mr Lynskey was assessed at Scunthorpe the Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust was responsible for the vascular service operated there.
He claims the trust was negligent in failing to carry out a full and proper assessment of his condition and appreciate the significance of his symptoms, and failed to realise that he had critical ischaemia, severe obstruction of the arteries.
Hull NHS Trust is said to have admitted liability for what happened, saying that some of the tests carried out on Mr Lynskey should have been reviewed and acted on earlier and if they had been reviewed then, he would probably have avoided the amputation.
The two sides are still in dispute over the size of his claim, and also over whether he would have lost his leg, in any event, sometime later than when amputation took place.
The case will be decided by a High Court judge if an agreement is not
reached, a date has not been fixed for the trial yet.
A spokeswoman for Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust said: “We are unable to comment on ongoing legal action.”