65-year-old man with ‘football size' hernia wins payout after suing NHS as doctors dismissed his symptoms as 'bad back'
More about the case
Graham's case highlights the importance of accurate diagnosis and timely medical intervention. His experience with a large hernia led to significant health complications and a lawsuit against the NHS, resulting in a payout, as per an August 4 report on Thesun.co.uk.
The payout awarded to him acknowledges the significant impact on his life and his family's well-being. The report said that Graham started suffering from back pain, but doctors just treated him with painkillers before he was eventually diagnosed with an 11.5cm abdominal aortic aneurysm.
'Graham developed the gigantic bulge - described as the biggest doctors had ever seen - when it ballooned after an aneurysm ruptured. He had visited his GP multiple times and gone to hospital twice complaining of severe back pain as well as weight loss over a nine week period. Graham said a lump on his stomach was also pulsating - but doctors failed to carry out a full examination and sent him home with painkillers. The result of an MRI scan was incorrectly recorded as clear before he was eventually diagnosed with an 11.5cm abdominal aortic aneurysm 64 days later,' the report said.
It added, 'The dad-of-one was told by doctors he had been a "walking time bomb" and underwent emergency surgery. But he developed complications, including a torn bowel, suspected to have been caused by painkillers he had been advised to take for his back pain. Graham spent more than seven weeks in intensive care and has been left permanently disabled as a result of his ordeal. The former chief foreman is unable to work after being left with a stoma, mobility problems and a large abdominal hernia.'
Graham's wife, Sarah, 44, has reportedly also been forced to give up her job as a healthcare assistant to become his full-time carer, and his lawyers have now secured him an undisclosed settlement after two doctors and a hospital trust involved in his care denied liability, the report said.
Types of hernia
Is that lump on your belly dangerous? In an April 2025 interview with HT Lifestyle, Dr Aparna Govil Bhasker (consultant bariatric and laparoscopic Surgeon at MetaHeal Laparoscopy and Bariatric Surgery Center in Mumbai and Saifee, Apollo and Namaha Hospitals in Mumbai, revealed three kinds of hernias and when to rush to the hospital. Hernia surgery is among the most crucial operations for correcting hernial abnormalities – it means returning an organ or tissue to its previous location where it pushed through a weak area in the muscle or connective tissue, she said.
According to Dr Govil Bhasker, hernias are classified into several kinds depending on their severity and impact:
⦿ The intestines push through the peritoneum without being trapped in simple hernia.
⦿ Incarcerated hernia: The intestines push through a weak point and become trapped, thereby requiring urgent medical intervention.
⦿ A major condition called strangulated hernia occurs when the trapped tissue stops getting blood flow, which could cause intestinal gangrene. A medical crisis calls for immediate surgery.
Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions about a medical condition.
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