Damages over pin left inside patient

A hospital which left surgical equipment inside a patient has paid an out of court settlement. The hospital admitted liability after a surgeon left a guide pin in the patient during a routine operation. He was admitted to the hospital after being referred for a hip resurfacing operation by his GP. The operation was planned to help reduce pain in his hip caused by wear and tear. Although the procedure was successful, a follow-up x-ray the next day showed a guide pin had been left in his hip and he had to undergo a second operation to remove it. It meant they had to re-enter the wound from the first procedure, causing him severe pain. The claim was settled for £4,000. The hospital has now put new procedures in place to avoid this type of incident in the future.