EAR NOSE & THROAT ENT SURGERY

Ear Nose & Throat ENT Surgery

This medical specialism (otorhinolaryngology) now often encompasses plastic surgery, neurosurgery and maxillo-facial surgery. Most National Health Service ENT departments located within a general hospital are very busy and examination and surgery may be carried out by relatively inexperienced doctors sometimes resulting in sub standard care giving rise to clinical negligence and subsequent compensation claims. It must however be stated that by far the majority of ENT surgery procedures are carried out totally successfully with substantial risk in less than 1% of cases. Certain aspects of ENT surgery relate not to serious health issues but more to lifestyle choices including treatment for minor nasal obstruction, catarrhal symptoms, snoring, voice improvement and rhinoplasty and as such can be compared to cosmetic surgery.

Common Claims

Claims arising as a result of treatment within an Ear Nose & Throat department include facial nerve damage and issues surrounding the early diagnosis and treatment of acoustic neuromas. In addition the nerves supplying the vocal chords can be damaged during thyroid surgery, radical neck dissection and laryngectomy.

Endoscopic Sinus Surgery

The most common claim now arising as a rsult of ENT surgery in Ear Nose & Throat departments relates to negligent endoscopic sinus surgery mainly due to damage to the bones surrounding the eye however another less common complication is a leak of cerebro-spinal fluid from the brain which may require to be treated by opening the skull resulting in a permanent loss of sense of smell and occasionally with other complications including meningitis, brain abscess and optic nerve damage which can cause blindness. No endoscopic nasal procedure should be undertaken without a CT scan of the sinuses.

Free Legal Advice

Our lawyers are all members of the Law Society panel of medical negligence experts which is open to less than 1% of solicitors due to it stringent membership requirements. All of our lawyers are franchised to make an application for legal aid to the Legal Services Commission and are entitled to represent legally aided claimants in publicly fund cases in a court of law. For those who do not qualify for legal aid it may be possible to pursue a claim using the no win no fee scheme. Compensation is paid in full with no deductions. For free advice with no further obligation just complete and send the contact form and a specialist solicitor will phone as soon as possible.