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Case ref:201903853
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Date:August 2020
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Body:Lothian NHS Board - Acute Division
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Sector:Health
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Outcome:Not upheld, no recommendations
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Subject:Clinical treatment / diagnosis
Summary
Following open surgery, Miss C’s abdomen was closed. Miss C was unhappy with the stitching of her abdomen as it had a ‘dog eared’ appearance at one end. Miss C considered that the stitching was inadequate and she should have been given corrective surgery. As the board did not consider that this was necessary at the time, Miss C proceeded to have private surgery to change the appearance of the scar.
We took independent advice form a plastic surgeon. We found that the closure of the surgical wound was achieved by an acceptable technique using appropriate materials. We found the stitching was of a reasonable standard. After several months, there was a small ‘dog ear’ at the end of the scar. We found that the scar was immature at this stage and that it was reasonable to state that it should be allowed to heal, rather than performing corrective surgery at that time. We did not uphold the complaint.