Southend Hospital patient contracts flesh-eating superbug after routine operation and loses most of his penis
Cancer patient taking legal action after devastating injury means he can no longer have sex
A CANCER patient who lost most of his penis to a flesh-eating superbug after routine surgery is taking legal action against a hospital.
Andrew Lane, 61, contracted potentially-fatal "necrotising fasciitis" after an operation to remove his prostate gland at Southend Hospital in Essex.
He was left fighting for his life and his genitals were so badly damaged that he lost most of his penis and can no longer have sex.
Mr Lane now has a protruding stomach where much of his "eaten away" outer tissue had to be removed.
He was forced to use a catheter and colostomy bag for two years and has had to have a special device fitted to help him urinate.
Mr Lane, from Thurrock, Essex, spent eight weeks in hospital after contracting the superbug in March 2013.
He has only recently started to come to terms with his injuries and is now taking legal action against Southend University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust.
He alleges that his bowel was punctured during the original operation and became infected because it was not detected for days.
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He said: "It has just been a horrendous experience.
"I thought I was going to die.
"That night I was taken to theatre three times while the surgeons took more and more tissue away.
"I lost from my belly button to just above the groin and I've not got much left of a penis.
"I was super-fit before all this. I had a good body, but now I look like I'm nine months pregnant. I can't ever bear to look at myself naked.
"The most difficult bit is not being able to have sex with my wife anymore.
"We're a normal couple who enjoyed it as part of a healthy relationship and I do miss that."
A 'flesh-eating condition': What is Necrotising fasciitis?
Necrotising fasciitis is a rare but serious bacterial infection that affects the tissue beneath the skin, and surrounding muscles and organs (fascia).
It's sometimes called the "flesh-eating disease", although the bacteria that cause it don't "eat" flesh – they release toxins that damage nearby tissue.
Necrotising fasciitis can start from a relatively minor injury, such as a small cut, but gets worse very quickly and can be life-threatening if it's not recognised and treated early on.
The symptoms of necrotising fasciitis develop quickly over hours or days. They may not be obvious at first and can be similar to less serious conditions such as flu.
Early symptoms can include: a small but painful cut or scratch on the skin, intense pain that's out of proportion to any damage to the skin and a high temperature (fever) and other flu-like symptoms.
If left untreated, the infection can spread through the body quickly and cause symptoms such as dizziness and confusion.
Necrotising fasciitis is a medical emergency that requires immediate treatment.
Source: NHS Choices
Mr Lane, who married his long-term partner Sue after being discharged from hospital, said he felt unable to return to his job as an architectural draftsman and now works as a carer.
While the damage is irreversible, he hopes that sharing his story will help raise awareness and stop it happening to anyone else.
He said: "I'd never even heard of the bug before and had no idea of the damage it could do, but if speaking out can raise awareness and stop one more person having to go through what I've been through then it will have been worth it."
Nick Greaves, a clinical negligence specialist at law firm Slater and Gordon, is representing Mr Lane in a civil action.
"Mr Lane believed he was going into hospital for a routine operation and would be home within days," he said. "Instead, he has been left with permanent and life-changing injuries that have turned his world upside down.
"Although nothing can change that, he wants to know what happened and ensure it is fully investigated and everything possible done to prevent anyone else having to go through the same ordeal."
A spokesman for Southend University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust confirmed it was aware of the legal case but could not comment as it was an "ongoing matter".
News of Mr Lane's legal action comes just weeks after a father died after cutting himself and becoming infected with a flesh-eating disease.
Brave amputee Aimee Copeland survived having her legs and hands devoured by the flesh-eating bug.
In Cambridge last month a baby died after becoming infected with the superbug MRSA.
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