C-section horror: Elyse Chiles is suing Mackay Hospital and Health Service for $3m

A Queensland health service is embroiled in a $3m legal suit after a Whitsunday mother’s emergency caesarean became an “absolute nightmare”, resulting in a life-threatening infection, including evidence of a flesh-eating bacteria.

Mackay Hospital and Health Service is fighting a $3m mega claim after a Whitsunday mother’s emergency caesarean became an “absolute nightmare” resulting in a life-threatening infection, botched surgery and allegations of ongoing crippling pain.

Proserpine mum Elyse Chiles spent more than two months in hospital between Proserpine, Mackay and Brisbane once the horror infection was detected a week after she had given birth to her daughter Hallie.

Court documents sighted by this publication stated the 27 year old former bank worker was not given prophylactic antibiotics at Proserpine Hospital when she had a caesarean on November 12, 2018.

Elyse Chiles and daughter Hallie, who was delivered by C-section at Proserpine Hospital in November 2018. Picture: Supplied

Then during exploratory surgery 10 days later at Mackay Base Hospital, court documents state doctors accidentally nicked her bladder and while stitching it back up unwittingly stitched her bladder to her left ureter.

Ms Chiles is suing for at least $2,885,904.81 plus past and present superannuation and costs alleging MHHS’s negligence breach has caused ongoing issues with chronic kidney, back and abdominal pain, disturbed sleep, ongoing urinary tract infections and a reduced libido.

Hospital lawyers have denied certain allegations and labelled the amount sought “as unreasonable, excessive and wholly disproportionate to the true nature and extent of (her) injuries, loss and damage”.

The claim was filed in the supreme court a month after Mackay Hospital and Health Service revealed there would be an independent review into its obstetrics and gynaecology services.

In the early hours of November 14, 2018 Hallie was transferred to Mackay Base Hospital for treatment and care, while she was admitted as a post-natal patient and was showing signs of tachycardia – which she claims should have indicated a sign of post caesarean infection.

Ms Chiles and her baby were discharged on November 19 and returned home to the Whitsunday region, but she was back at Proserpine Hospital that night “with a discharging caesarean section wound” – a CAT scan revealed a large pelvic abscess and an abscess to her rectus sheath.

Elyse Chiles is suing Mackay Hospital and Health Services for negligence. Picture: Supplied

She was flown to Mackay Base Hospital the following day and admitted to the high dependency ward for three weeks – following exploratory surgery doctors identified “necrotic tissue in the subcutaneous fat, rectus abdominis muscle and a uterine incision where there was a collection of pus”.

A swab from her pelvis grew Group B Streptococcus and Escherichia coli.

Court documents also stated there was an “accidental bladder base injury near the trigone which was sutured with two layers of Vicryl”.

On December 5, she was moved to Princess Alexandra Hospital in Brisbane for specialist urological care and doctors noted her “left ureter was obstructed near the bladder and had been inadvertently incorporated into the bladder sutures”. She was sent home on February 4, 2019.

MHHS admits in his defence against the claim that as a consequence of its breach of duty, Ms Chiles suffered the cleaning and removal of necrotic abdominal muscle, repairs to her ureter from a blockage, the need for a time of a catheter, bladder dysfunction, scarring and an adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety, depressed mood and reduced motivation.

Ms Chiles alleges MHHS failed in a number of areas including not administering the antibiotics, not investigating her “significant and persistent tachycardia” at MBH and not identifying or providing “antibiotic treatment at an earlier time while at the MBH to avoid to reduce the severity of the necrotising fasciitis and pelvic abscess”.

She claims she is unable to resume full time work “as a consequence of her physical limitations”.

There was serious complications for Elyse after her daughter Hallie was born by emergency C-section. Picture: Supplied

MHHS does not admit Ms Chiles suffers from reduced libido, disturbed sleep, difficulty falling asleep or fatigue “as despite reasonable inquiry remains uncertain as to the truth or falsity of the allegations”.

The hospital service denies its breach caused a chronic kidney injury “because the injury was to (her) bladder and ureter.

MHHS also denies responsibility for any ongoing urinary tract infections and chronic back pain stating they were pre-existing conditions, as well as any chronic abdominal pain which is stated was a consequence of “undergoing an emergency caesarean section”.

The paperwork states MHHS does admit Ms Chiles is entitled to some damages but not the amount she is suing for.

MHHS has argued any impairment on earning capacity will cease in future “upon undergoing further treatment and rehabilitation and the final stabilisation of her injuries”.

Shine Lawyers senior solicitor Chloe Heterick, for Ms Chiles, said her client had been looking forward to the birth of her first child “but the experience turned out to be an absolute nightmare”.

“One bad decision has led to another, and the results have been life-changing for Elyse,” she said.

“There were two distinct failures in respect of Elyse‘s care.

“The first was the failure to provide routine prophylactic antibiotics before her caesarean which resulted in a nasty post-surgical infection.

“The second was the stitching of her left ureter to her bladder during a laparotomy that was supposed to investigate the infection caused by the first failure.

“Elyse continues to struggle to work and care for her family as a result of her injuries.”

Originally published as C-section horror: Elyse Chiles is suing Mackay Hospital and Health Service for $3m