What happens when a Routine Operation goes wrong?

Family, Education, Health and Pets
1
Warning: don't read this if you're squeamish or eating dinner.

I had a Vasectomy in Spital XXXX in November 2007.

I had problems afterwards:

[Urologist wanted [Zurich area for second opinion]](http://www.englishforum.ch/family-matters-health/21518-urologist-wanted-zurich-area-second-opinion.html)

To fix those, I'm now faced with the serious prospect of having an Orchiectomy.

Orchiectomy means removal of a Testicle.

Yes, the whole thing, the whole gonad, the whole ball.

I was told this quite brutally by the same surgeon who operated on me originally:

"... Lots of people have only 1 ball .." was a direct quote from him.

"FFS man, what a heartless butcher you are!" I thought.

Along with

" I've done 2 or 3 thousand Vasectomies and this is the first time I've seen this case (massive lump in my scrotum which can't be cut away without cutting off the blood supply and "killing" the testicle)"

My Belief:

He bodged the original operation.

I was screaming with pain when he put in the Anaesthetic to that particular scrotal sack.

Afterwards, I was still screaming in pain until given pain-killers.

Nobody said anything.

My stiches on that side were also infected with pus a day or so later. I went back and was given antibiotics for that ... then later a small lump formed.

In the past few days it has literally ballooned and I have a single scrotal sack that a small horse would be proud of.

Something has gone really badly wrong!!

What can I do?

Any suggestions?

2
First i am sorry for your pain.

If i was you i would go to a specialist i would NOT go back to the same Doctor.

I hope you will be ok soon.

3
Damn I felt pain in my sack after reading that. I don't have any advice but I like your sense of humour. On the bright side no more gonad pain if the second op is successful. If not then he might go for your di*k the next time

4
After you are healed, you may want to contact the Swiss Patient Organization: http://www.spo.ch/

to explore compensation, etc,

5
A very American response - sue his a$$.

6
And so he SHOULD!

7
Did it go through your health insurance, speak to your insurance company or doctor and get a second opinion / different surgeon. Have you photos, a diary or any evidence that the guy did a bad job!

8
Thanks everyone - something I appreciate at times like this is the speedy replies and practical suggestions.

Couple of points:

I'm a bit kinky, but not kinky enough to take photos of my post-op pus-ridden sackette. I seriously regret that now.

My Insurance (Sanitas) pay 80% of the cost of Vasectomies - I guess it's a lot cheaper than a Pregnancy

But I will contact them and ask their advice.

The thought of the bill after 3 days in Hospital is a tad worrying as well...

OK, that's all for now - and before you ask, it's not just Britney Spears who goes without underwear . But my reason is for pure comfort, not for the Hollywood snappers...

Still smiling, but it's hard sometimes (no pun intended there!)

Thanks again

Cheers

OM

9
You poor chap. Not being a man I don't really understand how important your nads are to you, if it is the aesthetics of being Johnny one nut that is bothering you, ask the surgeon to replace the knackered knacker with a silicone one.

Looking on the bright side, you have a 50% reduction in the chances of developing testicular cancer. Not much of a bright side I know, but I am trying.

10
Definitely ask for second, third or even fourth opinions. Don't go back to original surgeon.

11
I would seek a second opinion even if i had to travel to bern or geneva for this, i would also look into sueing him... but i would only do this after getting a second opinion....

Sorry for your pain hope your feeling better soon and get the help you need...

12
Every heard the phrase "I'd rather cut my balls off with a rusty razor"? This phrase is a popular way of stating that you do not want to do something because it is universally acknowledged as the worst thing you could possible do.

Testicles are even more important than beer. They could be considered as 2 inseparable friends you always "hang around" with, they have gone everywhere with you throughout your life.

They have caused shock and offence to innocent bystanders in public houses throughout the land on nights when you should have stopped drinking waay earlier and they have suffered injury during sports and you have nursed them back to health.

You make jokes about them with friends, use their amount of perspiration at a given point of time to describe to others how hot it is, and you protect them from harm.

To have some butcher calmly tell you he's going to remove one is not something any man should ever have to hear, even said butcher should never have to hear that.

Oldmanc, my thoughts go out to the three of you.

13
Speaking as the wife of someone, who for different reasons has had the same operation,twice!!!! (different operations ) I can honestly say it makes NO difference to ANYTHING!! I know that is probably the last thing on your mind at the moment, but will be at some stage.

I can't offer you any advice regarding any suggestion on the DR front, I can however assure you that you will be as "male" as you were before!! LOL

If you want to PM with any questions you may have- feel free. I don't really feel comfortable telling the world his story with out his consent. Hope you will have a speedy recovery.

14
One thing that pops in my mind is, have you had to sign a form BEFORE the op? And i hope you have a copy of it ( or can get hold of one), because if there is a line in the small print , that the surgeon waives all complaints, then a possible lawsuit may stand on wobbly legs.

I think the advice given to get in touch asap with the swiss patient organsiation is the best way to go , apart from getting a second opinion too.

Wishing you the best of luck that this uncomfortable situation will soon be resolved!

15
You poor thing, how awful for a straight forward procedure to go so wrong for you. If it is still sore looking, take a photo now of it, just so you have some record of what your poor nad looks like. Something has obviously gone wrong, and an orchidectomy I’m sure seems like one hell of a drastic solution for you. As others have said seek an immediate 2nd opinion, and see what conclusion they draw as to why this has happened. I’m assuming that you had the vasectomy due to not wanting any more kids or not wanting kids, so the fertility aspect isn’t your main concern should you need the orchidectomy (although you can still father a child with just one) However your own body image and living with an empty sac on one side I would think is a big concern for you. When you go for your 2nd opinion and options, discuss the possibility of having a prosthetic teste inserted. This will be dependent on how bad any infection or damage in that area is. My fingers are crossed for you, and I do hope you make a full recovery from your horrible experience.

16
woooow! what happened to you sounds pretty nasty, and i am sorry about the pain and trauma you've had. (though you seem to sound pretty strong and sunny though, i salute you for that!)

i definitely agree with the countless suggestions posted here: GET ANOTHER OPINION. Though taking pictures about your thing is not really necessary because the hospital, as part of their SOP, should document all observations made and progresses done even to the minute details.

But I suggest too that you should take into careful consideration the risks that your inflammed testicle might cause. I don't mean to scare you in any way, but i just believe it might be better, if not preferable, to intently listen to what your options are about the situation. I mean, we can screw that damn doctor all we want, but, it's you, and your gonad's integrity, on the line here, so it's best to be proactive.

Good luck and get well soon!

17
Remember that Lance Armstrong only has one of his boys left now, and look what he has achieved since then in the Tour de France. Some people even speculate that the change in his body chemistry due to the missing aggot has played a part in his extraordinary performance.

18
Much of my answer is based on this article in German.

You should contact a patients organisation or a lawyer specialised in medical cases. If you have an extended medical insurance, legal protection might be covered too.

A lawyer will then contact the doctor, ask for the medical records and that the doctor contacts his liability insurer. He will then determine if malpractice is likely and if/how you should proceed in the matter.

Now for the definition of malpractice. The patient must have suffered damage from the operation, and the damage must have been caused by the doctor's fault. The damage is usually easy to prove, the fault more difficult. Surgery-caused embolisms for example are considered normal operation risk and not malpractise. There seems to be no general rule for infections. Another possibility is that the diagnosis was wrong (incomplete), in this case it is still to determine if that was caused by a doctor's error or other circumstances. To sum it up, the fact that an operation was not succesful doesn't mean that it was malpractice.

The hospital can't just let him sign a document that states "We take no responsability for this surgery that may or may not take place in aseptic conditions" and be done with it. Especially in an ambulant routine operation like a vasectomy.

In contrast, the doctor is obliged to inform the patient about the risks and side effects of an operation, specifically about the common and severe ones. (From this German paper about legal obligations of doctors in Switzerland.)

Personally I think that I would look for a second opinion and a new doctor after these complications.

Best wishes...

Edit: If it was malpractice, the doctor will have to cover all consequential operation costs and salary loss. He also will pay compensation for the immaterial damage (called Schmerzensgeld="pain money" or Genugtuung="satisfaction"), which in these cases is usually pain and loss in the quality of life.

Saldo gives a few examples for the amount of compensation. I know this is not a priority now and I don't even say that oldmanc will get one, but I think it might interest some:

A toddler who suffered burns in the hospital at a foot and consequentally lost three toes got 8'000 Fr.

A man whose leg muscles were injured by a doctor got 20'000 Fr. The pain is incurable and it was grave malpractice.

A patient who suffered a narcosis incident got 30'000 Fr. for his pain.

19
I have put this in, because I had to sign a waiving form in 1998 when i had the snip done......... if they have changed it for the benefit of the patient now, then I am all too happy and gladly 'take my words back'.

20
EastEnders, so far I've not had surgery and I only conclude by myself that it is not common to sign this kind of document before an operation, because it was never mentioned in my search.

I'm curious if the OP or other patients in the forum had to sign such a contract, or were required to state in writing that they understand the risks of the procedure.