Woman left infertile after doctors accidentally remove wrong tube

‘I am heartbroken and just feel numb at what has happened and devastated at how I can no longer have children naturally’

Chelsie Thomas, 26, had an ectopic pregnancy and has been left unable to conceive naturally (Photos Irwin Mitchell)

A woman who suffered an ectopic pregnancy has been left unable to have children naturally after a hospital removed the wrong fallopian tube.

Chelsie Thomas believed she was expecting her second child when she experienced bleeding. The 26-year-old was admitted to Walsall Manor Hospital in March 2018 and was diagnosed with an ectopic pregnancy in her right fallopian tube. The potentially life-threatening condition is caused when a fertilised egg implants itself outside of the womb.

During surgery, however, her healthy left tube was taken out instead of the right one that needed to be removed. After the hospital realised its mistake, Ms Thomas had to have another operation to remove her right fallopian tube, meaning she is now unable to conceive naturally.

An internal serious incident investigation report by Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust came to the “inescapable conclusion” that the original procedure “was carried out without appropriate due diligence and attention”. The report classed the incident as a “never event” – a list of problems the NHS has identified should never occur. The trust, which Ms Thomas worked for as a clinical support worker, admitted liability and offered to fund one round of IVF for her.

The scars left after two surgeries to remove fallopian tubes (Irwin Mitchell)

But she said she planned to have two more children, along with her six-year-old son. “None of this seems real,” she said. “I am heartbroken and just feel numb at what has happened and devastated at how I can no longer have children naturally. It has been difficult to come to terms with the fact that I have not only had unnecessary surgery but have been left unable to have more children naturally.

“I had planned on having two more children as I come from a large family. I wanted Riley-Jay to grow up with little brothers and sisters.

“The hospital has classed this as a ‘never event’ and it is difficult to understand how this has happened. I just hope that it doesn’t happen to anyone else.”

Her solicitor, Jenna Harris, said her client had been “devastated by the events that unfolded”.

She added that Ms Thomas was “still struggling to come to terms with not only losing a child, but also the fact that she faces the possibility of not being able to have more children in the future”.

She said: “Ectopic pregnancies can be extremely dangerous, and Chelsie’s care has raised a number of very worrying questions. The trust’s own findings in its internal investigation report are quite damning. While nothing can make up for what Chelsie has had to go through, we recognise that the trust has admitted liability and made several recommendations in its incident report.

“We urge it to ensure these recommendations are implemented as soon as possible to improve patient care for others.”

Dr Matthew Lewis, Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust executive medical director, said: “We would once again offer our sincere apologies to the patient involved for the fact that our care fell below the standard that we would expect for anyone who uses our services.

“In this particular case, while the necessary checks were carried out before surgery and consent was given, an error was regrettably made. The trust investigates errors thoroughly in accordance with our internal governance processes, working with patients and their families, our own clinicians and staff to learn lessons and put systems in place to try and avoid such incidents.”