Botched Hysterectomy Results in Numerous Corrective Surgeries and Complications

Case Overview

This case takes place in Virginia and involves a 52-year-old patient who presented for a trans-vaginal hysterectomy. At the end of the procedure, when vaginal vault was closed with sutures, the surgeon sutured the two ends of the vaginal vault as well as the bladder. The patient required 5 corrective surgeries including a full bladder resection and has suffered from a host of additional complications.

Questions to the Gynecology expert and their responses

How often do you perform hysterectomies using this approach?

I have been performing vaginal surgery of all types for more than 15 years and perform hysterectomy almost exclusively via the vaginal route.

Have you ever had a patient develop this complication?

I have served as an expert in several cases involving the formation of vesicovaginal or ureteral vaginal fistulas after both abdominal and vaginal hysterectomy. I have never seen a patient require this many corrective surgeries following this type of injury and this might indicate that something went severely wrong here.

Is suturing the bladder a known complication or likely the result of inadequate technique?

Having a suture enter the bladder that is inserted as part of the vaginal cuff closure is a known complication but does not usually lead to the type of extreme problems that seem to be described.

About the expert

This supremely qualified Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology received a medical degree at the prestigious Harvard Medical School. He later went on to complete an internship and residency at the highly regarded John Hopkins School of Medicine. He is Fellowship trained in Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Pelvic Surgery by the internationally renowned Mayo Clinic. This expert is board certified in both Obstetrics and Gynecology as well as Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery. He has additional certification in DaVinci Robot surgery. He is a Fellow of the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology and a member of numerous professional organizations. This expert is currently Professor at an ivy league university and enjoys hospital privileges at four major hospitals.