Bristol Spire Hospital widens investigation into mesh surgeon

A infirmary reappraisal of mesh operations by a surgeon who near dozens of patients successful agony is present looking into different benignant of process helium carried out.

Tony Dixon, who utilized mesh country to dainty bowel problems, has ever maintained helium did the operations successful bully faith.

Now it has emerged that different patients who had their rectum stapled are besides being written to.

Spire Hospital Bristol said its "comprehensive" reappraisal remains ongoing.

Mr Dixon pioneered the usage of artificial mesh to assistance prolapsed bowels and a reappraisal of the attraction helium gave patients receiving Laparoscopic ventral mesh rectopexy has already concluded.

Now the Spire has contacted patients who underwent a Stapled Transanal Rectal Resection (STARR operation) with Mr Dixon.

Many of the affected patients person told the BBC they did not springiness informed consent for the process and are successful chronic pain.

The STARR cognition is performed connected immoderate patients who person specified terrible problems having a poo, their rectum whitethorn descent wrong itself.

Debbie Cooper had a STARR process with Tony Dixon erstwhile helium worked astatine Frenchay Hospital successful Bristol successful 2009.

The 56-year aged from Gloucester said it did not enactment and she ended up seeing Mr Dixon privately astatine the Spire to effort and benignant retired her pain.

She believes she should person been offered non-surgical treatments earlier this large cognition and added: "It didn't person the effect it was expected to have.

"I ended up with a coiled breakdown successful a truly achy area.

"It was incredibly painful, incredibly traumatic."

Professional guidelines accidental immoderate tests and scans person to beryllium done earlier the invasive country is approved.

STARR involves removing a conception of the rectal partition utilizing a peculiar stapling device.

The BBC has besides been contacted by a pistillate who had the STARR process astatine the Spire Hospital successful 2009.

She has received a missive from the infirmary asking her to instrumentality portion successful their review.

The diligent prefers to stay anonymous, but told the BBC: "I person had difficulties since this process which person impacted rather earnestly connected my life.

"I was led to judge that this was conscionable maine being awkward and, rather frankly, the trauma of the post-op play was truthful stressful that I person blocked astir of it out."

Jim Sharples has conscionable been written to by the Spires's reappraisal squad astir his STARR cognition successful 2015.

He claims Tony Dixon did not person his afloat consent for the operation.

Mr Sharples said: "Tony [Dixon] sold this to maine arsenic 'you are successful pain, you privation it done close now'.

"I thought I would person it [at a aboriginal date].

"Then aft having what was meant to beryllium a haemorrhoidectomy, I aftermath up and helium said 'I performed a STARR cognition connected you'.

"I had not consented to that."

He added that the cognition has changed his beingness and means helium tin nary longer bask activities similar camping with his family.

"Every time I prolapse, erstwhile I spell to the toilet I person faecal incontinence," helium said.

"I person an urgency successful needing to spell to the toilet.

"None of this was ever discussed with maine due to the fact that I wasn't going successful to person a STARR operation.

"I get precocious levels of anxiousness if I person not been to the toilet.

"It's not a pleasant quiescent affair, going to the toilet. It's a existent messiness and each due to the fact that I had an cognition which I didn't require."

In a statement, Spire Bristol said it had apologised and provided enactment to each who received a mediocre modular of care.

A spokesperson said: "We and the section NHS Trust person worked unneurotic to reappraisal the attraction of patients treated by Mr Dixon astatine the NHS Trust and astatine Spire.

"The NHS Trust's reappraisal is present complete. Spire is undertaking a broad review, which remains ongoing."

Mr Dixon, who was dismissed successful 2019, has ever maintained the operations were done successful bully faith, and that immoderate country could person complications.

He is owed to look earlier a Medical Practitioners Tribunal connected 11 September.

Spire Healthcare added elder clinicians had looked backmost astatine the attraction Mr Dixon provided for LVMR patients implicit a 20-year period.

The spokesperson said: "Out of an abundance of caution, we are present taking the further measurement of reaching retired to patients who had the STARR process with Mr Dixon, to reappraisal their care."

If immoderate Spire Bristol Hospital patients consciousness they should person been contacted oregon person concerns astir their attraction nether Mr Dixon, they are urged to telephone a dedicated helpline connected 0800 783 8163 oregon email [email protected]