A tummy tuck plastic surgery patient operated on at a North London clinic four years ago was left looking as though she had three navels, according to papers lodged in the High Court and seen by London newspaper the Evening Standard.
Cosmetic surgery patient Eileen Harbour, 64, was operated on by cosmetic surgeon Shiva Singh at the Highgate Hospital.
Ms Harbour claims that four years after the surgery performed by Mr Singh, she still has breathing problems and has suffered scarring. Mrs Harbour also alleges she contracted E.coli in the wound after surgery.
Court papers include an X-ray which allegedly shows Ms Harbour also suffered a partially collapsed right lung after surgery.
She has now taken her case to the High Court and is claiming £100,000 from the surgeon.
However, key evidence focuses on Ms Harbour’s smoking habit. Ms Harbour agrees that Mr Singh said he would only perform surgery if she stopped smoking – however, she alleges she was not told smokers were more likely to be a risk from complications or that other risks accompanied the procedure, including risks associated with smokers who were also overweight.
Mr Singh says that Ms Harbour signed two consent forms detailing the risks and was also advised verbally of any possible risks of the surgery.
He also alleges that following surgery she arrived at appointments smelling of cigarette smoke and appeared to have started smoking again.
Mr Singh says that Ms Harbour did not mention she was experiencing breathing difficulties until seven months after the surgery – and attributes early breathing problems to the effects of the anaesthetic.
Mr Singh has also said that scarring could have resulted from an infection and a build up of fluid.
He denies any allegations of medical negligence.
In a TV documentary, Mr Singh had used over-sized breast implants to boost porn star Cathy Barry’s breasts to a size 34JJ. The surgery had taken three times as long as normal breast enlargement procedures and he had had to make three attempts at inserting the implants, which were the size of rugby balls. Ms Barry wanted to have the largest breasts in the industry. After the TV documentary was screened, Mr Singh faced scrutiny from his peers over the procedure.
Highgate Hospital said it was unable to comment on Ms Harbour’s allegations pending the court proceedings. However, a spokesman confirmed Mr Singh had stopped using the hospital’s facilities in May this year.
Duncan Lewis Personal Injury Solicitors – Medical Negligence Claims
Duncan Lewis personal injury solicitors can advise those who have suffered injury as a result of medical negligence on how to make no win no fee claims for compensation.
Medical Negligence Claims can involve a wide range of injuries and include compensation claims for cosmetic surgery gone wrong, as well as:
• Birth injuries
• Delays in diagnosis
• Failure to diagnose
• Failure to treat
• GP errors
• Negligent care
• Prescribing errors
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• Surgical errors
• Wrong treatment.
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