Decision Report 201405712

Summary

Mrs C said that following gastric band surgery (a procedure where a band is used to reduce the stomach's size, so a smaller amount of food is required to result in feeling full), her complaints about discomfort and difficulty swallowing were ignored by medical staff. The band then slipped, which caused her significant internal damage and, as a result, she required major surgery which involved removing her entire stomach. Mrs C said she had not been seen appropriately by the consultant responsible for her care and that much of her post-operative care had been provided via a nurse-led clinic.

The board said Mrs C was provided with the appropriate level of care, and that nurse-led clinics were standard practice. The board said they did not wish to minimise the seriousness of Mrs C's subsequent band slippage, but that this could not have been predicted from the symptoms she presented with following her operation.

We took independent medical advice. The advice we received was that Mrs C's concerns were taken seriously and that the appropriate investigations were carried out to identify the cause of her symptoms. Unfortunately the band slippage, whilst a recognised complication in a small number of cases, could not have been predicted. The nurse-led clinic was an appropriate setting for Mrs C's post-operative care and had, on occasion, accessed medical staff as required in order to assess her condition.

We found there was no evidence that the care provided was not appropriate and in line with the relevant clinical guidance.