Bristol woman 'still devastated' after being put through unnecessary mesh bowel surgery

A Bristol woman says her life has 'never been the same' since receiving unnecessary operations on her bowel more than ten years ago.

Following a recent review, Mandy Giltrow is one of more than 200 patients who received a mesh bowel procedure - which she says may not have been needed.

The operations were all conducted by surgeon Tony Dixon who has been sacked by the North Bristol NHS Trust.

Mandy Giltrow underwent a mesh bowel procedure which was performed by Mr Dixon at Frenchay Hospital in April 2011.

Following the surgery her symptoms continued. Following follow up appointments Mandy, a mum-of-four, underwent a further procedure in April 2013.

Mr Dixon carried out a further operation in October 2014 at Spire Bristol to replace mesh.

However Mandy, who is 49 and lives in Staple Hill, continues to suffer issues including stomach and bowel pain as well as recurrent water infections. She also has a hernia near her surgery scars.

North Bristol NHS Trust has since admitted liability.

Mandy told ITV West Country: "I got anxiety for all the different operations I had and then I physically could not do anything. I was stuck for three months in a bubble."

"I couldn't go out, I couldn't do anything with my children not even take them to school."

Mandy says her mental health was badly affected by the operations leading to a nervous breakdown and agoraphobia, meaning she could not lead the house.

"You have an operation. It doesn't resolve the original problem and now you have another problem which is twice as bad."

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Source: ITV, 30 May 2022