Suspended, top pelvic surgeon who ‘ left his patients living in pain’

AN INFLUENTIAL pelvic surgeon has been suspended after scores of patients complained that his operations left them with traumatic complications.

A group of 100 women are considering legal action against Anthony Dixon, a consultant colorectal surgeon at Southmead hospital in Bristol and the private Spire Bristol hospital.

They claim he was too quick to recommend invasive surgical procedures to deal with pelvic problems, and there are also complaints he made lewd or inappropriate comments about some of the women’s looks or sex lives.

Mr Dixon is recognised as a pioneer of surgery aimed at repairing bowel problems, often linked to childbirth. But after numerous complaints, the surgeon has been placed under investigation by his local health trust. He has been suspended from work, and the General Medical Council is carrying out a separate ‘fitness to practise’ inquiry.

Some patients claim they were left suffering unmanageable pain or incontinence after elective surgical procedures that had risks they were not adequately informed about. Some needed further surgery.

Many complaints relate to an operation known as a rectopexy, in which a plastic mesh is used to repair weakened pelvic floor tissue. Sam van der Heijden, 57, from Hastings in East Sussex, had the procedure in 2011 after a difficult childbirth affected her bowel. She told the Guardian it initially seemed to have worked, but she later had a series of revision surgeries, including having her colon removed. Another patient, who was in her twenties when she sought treatment, says she was told by the doctor: ‘You have the ass of an 80-year-old. I wouldn’t want you dancing in my strip club.’

North Bristol NHS Trust said it was investigating concerns raised by patients, while Spire Healthcare said an internal review found that complications arising from Mr Dixon’s practice were ‘within normal parameters’.

Mr Dixon would not comment on the allegations due to patient confidentiality, but added: ‘As with any surgical procedure, there may be complications but I would like to reassure patients that the overwhelming majority of operations I have completed have been successful.’

‘Made lewd comments’