Sue Or Not To Sue?

[Kira_90]

In August I went for an MRI I went in the room aswell as my mam. My mam told the nurse that she had had a gastric band and the nurse let her come in the room with me fine. Because of these circumstances she is now having to have the band removed due to it coming out of her skin and her consultant doctor told her "under no circumstances should you of been in that room" She payed for the band herself and it was not done on the nhs? Does anyone know what she could do due to the error of the hospital?

[boxtops]

I don't understand this at all. She was in the room with you - but surely not in an area where the action of the scan could affect her? Can you give more details please? "The band is coming out of her skin" - how, surely it's fixed round her digestive tract?

If there is anything to be done, she needs to contact the PALS service, or the complaints manager, at the hospital concerned, who will explain the process to her.

[Barmaid]

I don't really understand this. However, it is far to early to talk about suing. I think you should seek the advice of a lawyer who specialises in medical negligence.

[vodkancoke]

I had a gastric band and had many MRI scans. I never had a problem.

[Buenchico]

I suspect that you'd get nowhere.

Lots of reputable sources state that it's perfectly safe to actually have an MRI if you've got a gastric band fitted. Even if the band used metal clips (which, it seems, most don't anyway) the only problem would be to do with interpreting the results of the MRI, not with the band itself.

I advise seeking an independent medical opinion before even considering legal action.

[boxtops]

How did your mother feel her band's been affected, anyway? It was you having the scan.

[Kira_90]

I was in the MRI scanner and she was sat in the same room at the bottom of it so I could see her. It isn't her gastric band coming out her stomach it is the port wich connects to the band wich has caused infection. Sorry for the confusion

[vodkancoke]

I don't think that has anything to do with the MRI. Some surgeons stitch the port down and some don't meaning it can flip over and cause problems.
As I said, I had many MRI scans with a gastric band fitted with no problems at all. In fact. it was never mentioned to me about MRI scans being a problem. Her consultant should be fixing it, not removing it I would have thought.

[Peter Pedant]

well, if you google gastric band MRI

you get:

MRI after gastric band
www.streamline-surgical.com › ... › The Gastric Band operation
Jun 29, 2011 – Several people have asked about the safety of MRI with a gastric band. It is safe as band ports (and surgical staples) are made from a non magnetic.
day one after gastric band ...‎ - 27 Jan 2012
gastric band Questions - answers please‎ - 26 Jan 2012
Pregnancy and the gastric band‎ - 29 Jun 2011
Is an MRI scan ok after gastric bypass?‎ - 29 Jun 2011


and this rather looks as tho the staples popping through the skin of your poor mam is nothing to do with the MRI scan.


When you went into the scan, you should have been asked the usual questions about metal in your body and also in your mam.

The usual line in side which the magnetic field is great is around 2 m from the centre of the scanner. This is I think the 2000 gauss line. I cant remember what it is in Tesla. You have said that your mam was much further out than that.

So no wonder you are asking us (free) rather than a lawyer (£200/hr). There is quite alot flapping in the breeze in all this

anyway good luck

[boxtops]

IMO, it's a very long shot, kira - it doesn't sound as if the two things are connected at all.