Urology clinical negligence reports
Independent reports from consultant urologists on missed torsion, surgical injury to the urinary tract and delayed cancer diagnosis, prepared to CPR Part 35 for courts in England and Wales.
Urology negligence claims often turn on timing or on what happened in theatre. Typical allegations include a testicular torsion missed at the first presentation, a ureter or bladder injured during pelvic surgery and not recognised, a catheter passed with too much force, and a prostate, bladder or kidney cancer diagnosed later than it should have been.
Expert Medical Examination arranges independent reports from consultant urologists on the GMC Specialist Register. They address breach of duty where the urological care is criticised, and causation and prognosis where another specialty, such as gynaecology or maternity, gave the care.
Testicular torsion and time
Torsion cuts off the blood supply to the testis, and the chance of saving it falls as the hours pass. The urologist sets out when surgery would have followed a timely diagnosis, and whether the testis would probably have been saved.
Surgical injury to the urinary tract
Ureteric and bladder injuries are recognised risks of pelvic and abdominal surgery, and many claims turn on whether the injury was recognised and repaired in time rather than on the injury itself. The urologist explains the repair, any lasting effect on kidney or bladder function, and the outlook.
Consent to urological surgery
Where the complaint is about what was explained before an operation, such as a prostate procedure or a vasectomy, Montgomery applies: the surgeon must take reasonable care to ensure the patient is aware of material risks and reasonable alternatives. The urologist can explain what risks were or should have been known at the time and which alternatives were reasonable. Whether a risk was material is for the court.
Urology evidence the court can follow
Urology claims involve anatomy few lay readers know, so the expert explains it in plain language alongside the treatment given and the reasoning behind each opinion.
- Missed or delayed diagnosis of testicular torsion
- Ureteric and bladder injury during pelvic surgery
- Catheter injury and urethral trauma
- Delayed diagnosis of prostate, bladder and kidney cancer
- Complications of prostate and kidney stone surgery
- Vasectomy failure and consent claims
- Unrecognised urinary retention after surgery or childbirth
Urology clinical negligence reports: FAQs
What does a urology breach of duty report address?
It gives the expert's opinion on whether the urological care fell below the standard of a reasonably competent urologist, judged on what applied at the time rather than with hindsight. For diagnosis and treatment the test is Bolam, as refined by Bolitho: practice supported by a responsible body of urologists, provided that opinion can withstand logical analysis. Advice about the risks of treatment is judged under Montgomery instead. The court makes the final decision.
Which expert should comment on the standard of care?
Breach of duty is judged against practitioners in the same field. Where the care in question was urological, the expert should be a consultant urologist whose practice covers the procedure or decision. Where the alleged failure was by a GP or an emergency department, as can happen with a missed testicular torsion, a GP or emergency medicine expert addresses breach and a urologist addresses causation.
Is causation a separate question from breach of duty?
Yes. A claim needs both, each proved on the balance of probabilities: that the care was substandard, and that the failing caused the injury. In a delayed diagnosis claim, such as testicular torsion, the central question is often what would have happened with timely treatment. Causation can be addressed in the same report or by a separate expert.
What should be sent to the urology expert?
The complete GP and hospital records, including operation notes, consent forms, imaging and test results, with a letter of instruction that sets out the allegations and the questions to be answered. Incomplete records can stop the expert reaching a firm view, so a complete, paginated bundle matters.
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