Cancer patient who lost most of his penis takes legal action against Southend Hospital

December 8, 2016

Andrew Lane caught necrotising fasciitis after his prostate gland was removed
It is claimed that surgeons punctured his bowel – leading to the deadly infection
He was left fighting for his life at Southend Hospital but managed to survive
However, his genitals were so badly damaged and he is now taking legal action
Mr Lane said: ‘The most difficult bit is not being able to have sex with my wife’

Stephen Matthews For Mailonline

Published:
03:33 EST, 8 December 2016

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Updated:
06:21 EST, 8 December 2016

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A cancer patient who lost most of his penis to a flesh-eating superbug after routine surgery is taking legal action against the hospital.

Andrew Lane, 61, contracted necrotising fasciitis – a potentially fatal infection – following an operation to remove his prostate gland.

He was left fighting for his life at Southend Hospital, Essex, but managed to pull through and survive.

However, his genitals were so badly damaged that he lost most of his penis and is now no longer able to have sex.

Andrew Lane, 61, contracted necrotising fasciitis – a potentially fatal infection necrotising – following an operation to remove his prostate gland (pictured with his wife, Sue)

So much diseased tissue had to be removed that it also left him with a protruding stomach, where the outer tissue had been ‘eaten’ away.

He was forced to use a catheter and colostomy bag for two years and has had to have a special device fitted to help him urinate.

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Mr Lane, from Thurrock, spent eight weeks in hospital following the incident in March 2013 and said he has only recently started to come to terms with his injuries.

He is now taking legal action against Southend University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust over claims that his bowel was punctured during the original operation.

But this was not detected for days afterwards, which led to the infection.

It caused his genitals to be so badly damaged that he lost most of his penis and is now no longer able to have sex

He was left fighting for his life at Southend Hospital, Essex, but managed to pull through and survive. He is now taking legal action on against Southend University Hospital NHS Foundation

He said: ‘It has just been a horrendous experience. I thought I was going to die.

‘That night I was taken to theatre three times while the surgeons took more and more tissue away.

‘I lost from my belly button to just above the groin and I’ve not got much left of a penis.

WHAT IS NECROTISING FACIITIS?

Necrotising faciitis is a rare but life-threatening infection affecting the deep layers of the skin.

It progresses quickly after being triggered by various types of bacteria, including group A streptococcus and staphylococcus.

Many infections are caused by organisms already residing on a person’s skin.

Group A streptococci is a bacteria commonly found in the throat and on the skin. The vast majority of infections are relatively mild illnesses, such as strep throat and impetigo.

Occasionally, however, the bacteria can become life-threatening if entering parts of the body where not usually found such as the blood, muscles or the lungs.

The bacteria is often spread through direct contact with the mucus of an infected person and through contact with infected skin wounds and sores.

It may occur when the bacteria gets past the body’s defences, is a severe and sometimes life-threatening infection in which the bacteria has invaded parts of the body, such as the blood, deep muscle and fat tissue or the lungs.

The early signs and symptoms of necrotising fasciitis include fever, severe pain and swelling, and redness at the wound site.

‘I was super-fit before all this. I had a good body, but now I look like I’m nine months pregnant. I can’t ever bear to look at myself naked.

‘The most difficult bit is not being able to have sex with my wife anymore.

‘We’re a normal couple who enjoyed it as part of a healthy relationship and I do miss that.’

Mr Lane, who married his long-term partner Sue after being discharged from hospital, said he felt unable to return to his job as an architectural draftsman and now works as a carer.

While the damage is irreversible, he hopes that sharing his story will help raise awareness and stop it happening to anyone else.

‘I’d never even heard of the bug before and had no idea of the damage it could do, but if speaking out can raise awareness and stop one more person having to go through what I’ve been through then it will have been worth it,’ he said.

Nick Greaves, a clinical negligence specialist at law firm Slater and Gordon, is representing Mr Lane in a civil action.

‘Mr Lane believed he was going into hospital for a routine operation and would be home within days,’ he said. ‘Instead, he has been left with permanent and life-changing injuries that have turned his world upside down.

‘Although nothing can change that, he wants to know what happened and ensure it is fully investigated and everything possible done to prevent anyone else having to go through the same ordeal.’

A spokesman for Southend University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust confirmed it was aware of the legal case but could not comment as it was an ‘ongoing matter’.