-
Common reasons why you may need to see an ENT doctor
- Head and Neck Cancer
Head and Neck Cancers treated by ENT specialists include cancers of the pharynx (throat), larynx (voice box), oral cavity (including the cheeks, tongue area, lips, gums and top of mouth), paranasal sinuses & nasal cavity and the salivary glands.
- Thyroid and parathyroid disorders
Conditions affecting the thyroid range from hyperthyroidism (overactive-thyroid), hypothyroidism (underactive-thyroid), hyperparathyroidism, hypoparathyroidism, thyroid nodules, Grave’s Disease and thyroiditis.
- Ear conditions
Conditions can affect the outer, middle or inner ear areas and include chronic and acute otitis externa (ear infections), tympanosclerosis, otitis media with effusion (OME or glue ear), cholesteatoma, impacted wax, perforations, tinnitus, hearing loss and vertigo / balance disorders (e.g. Meniere’s disease).
- Nose and sinus conditions
Conditions include sinusitis, rhinitis, tonsillitis, anosmia (loss of smell) and taste concerns, nasal polyps, allergies, snoring, sleep apnoea or other obstructive breathing issues and nasal trauma.
- Throat conditions
Such conditions include adenoid and tonsil problems, laryngitis, swallowing disorders, snoring, sleep apnoea or other obstructive breathing issues and voice and speech disorders.
- Salivary gland disorders
Conditions of the salivary glands include infection and abscesses, stones and tumours.
- Anterior skull base surgery
Treatment on this complex area of the anatomy will involve a multispecialty team including neurology specialists.
- Facial Cosmetic / Plastic Surgery
ENT surgeons perform cosmetic, plastic and reconstructive surgery.
- Acute (emergency) treatment
Such conditions may include acute infection, foreign body removal, nasal fractures and epistaxis
There are nearly 1,500 highly skilled ENT surgeons in the NHS. The extensive, wide-ranging procedures they carry out can be diagnostic or treatment related. Some are simple procedures using minimally invasive methods with little risk of injury and some are extremely complex invasive operations with much greater risks. Most procedures are elective but some are emergency operations. As with any medical procedure, there are risks involved in undergoing any ENT procedure, all of which should be explained by the ENT consultant in charge of a patient's care.
-
Common procedures / treatments carried out by ENT surgical teams:
- Anterior skull base surgery
- Cochlear implant surgery
- Cosmetic / plastic surgery procedures e.g. rhinoplasty(nose surgery), pinnaplasty(ear correction surgery), blepharoplasty(eyelid surgery) and facial reconstructionsurgery
- Frenectomy surgery
- Grommet insertion (in children)
- Head and Neck cancer and chemo-radiotherapy treatment (cancers treated include nasal and sinus cancer, middle ear cancer, oral cavity cancer, pharynx cancer, salivary gland cancer and tongue cancer)
- Microlaryngoscopy
- Oesophagoscopy
- Perforated ear drum repair
- Septoplasty
- Sinus surgery
- Somnoplasty and palatal pillar insertion (surgical treatments for snoring)
- Tonsillectomy
- Tracheostomy
- Tympanomastoid surgery
Most patients who need the services of an ENT department do get the quality care they require, with outcomes of treatment as the patient expects. Sometimes problems occur during or after treatment that are not negligence – these are unfortunate complications that have arisen despite all the correct risk assessments and care being taken.
However, medical mistakes occasionally do occur that could and should have been prevented and a minority of ENT procedures or treatments do result in medical negligence claims. ENT medical negligence means the care you received either diagnostically, during treatment or in the post-treatment period fell below medically acceptable standards and this directly injured you either physically or psychologically, short-term or long-term. ENT medical negligence can result in devastating consequences or even death. When this happens you or your loved one may have a cause for an ENT medical negligence claim.
-
Common causes of ENT clinical negligence injury
- Failure, misdiagnosis or delay in diagnosis (including cancer)
- Inadequate investigations
- Failure or delay in treatment / surgery
- Wrong / inappropriate treatment or prescriptions
- Surgical error
- Sub-standard after-care
- Inappropriate or premature discharge
-
Common ENT medical negligence injuries:
- Long-term senses (hearing, taste smell or sight) loss
- Balance issues
- Tinnitus
- Worsening of existing illness
- Progression or recurrence of cancer
- Injury during surgery. Negligent surgical errors can lead to a number of ENT injuries including:
- Brain injury
- Loss of senses (hearing, smell or taste)
- Facial nerve damage
- Eye injury
- Sinus injury
- Vocal cord damage
- Healthcare-associated infections (HCAIs) - This covers a wide spectrum of infections including MRSA, C-Difficile, COVID-19, catheter associated urinary tract infections, surgical site infections, ventilator associated pneumonia and central line-associated blood stream infections.
- Death
-
How we can help you claim compensation for ENT Medical Negligence
It can take courage and can initially feel daunting approaching a medical negligence solicitor. This is particularly so when wishing to challenge the treatment and care provided by healthcare professionals who we often hold in high regard and who we place our health and trust in.
It is important to appreciate that mistakes happen in any situation involving human beings, regardless of how well trained, skilled, experienced and caring they are. Where mistakes are made and harm is caused with regard to patient care there are consequences that may lead a patient wishing to consider instructing a solicitor to act on their behalf to bring legal action.
More often than not, a patient will not be considering financial compensation once medical negligence has arisen. They do not see it being about money rather that they don’t want it to happen to anybody else. This is entirely understandable. As humans, we trust in the training and expertise of our healthcare professionals and don’t expect harm to be caused. Many patients want lessons to be learned to prevent further harm for others.
Pursuing a claim against a healthcare professional (public and private) does raise awareness. Pursuing a claim leads to investigation and scrutiny and consideration of existing policies and procedures and to further training. It also allows for a financial settlement to be awarded which places a patient in a better position than they may have otherwise been. Financial compensation enhances the quality of life and where it is not about money, it allows a patient to do good with any settlement they may be awarded.
