Symptoms of Bladder Injury After C-Section

A caesarean section operation, commonly referred to as a C-section, involves an incision in the lower part of the uterus through which the baby is delivered. As the bladder sits in front of the uterus, it must be pushed down to expose the part of the uterus the surgeon must cut. 

Injuries to the bladder may result from the bladder being pushed down during a C-section or when the patient's lower abdomen is sliced open by the surgeon.  If a mistake is made during a C-section causing bladder injury and/or there is a failure to recognise that the bladder has been damaged, then the patient could be eligible for compensation.

Here, Potter Rees Dolan takes a look at the symptoms of a bladder injury after a C-section. 

When is a C-section required? 

Health providers must ensure that all pregnant people have timely access to caesarean sections when necessary, since they are absolutely necessary to save lives when vaginal births are considered to be dangerous.

Situations where a C-section may be required include:

• Placenta previa (Low-lying placenta)

• When the baby is in breech position (baby’s feet are first)

• Low nutrients and oxygen levels affecting the baby

• Excessive vaginal bleeding

• Slow progressing labour 

• Pre-eclampsia (high blood pressure related to pregnancy)

• Untreated HIV

• Certain infections, i.e., genital herpes that occurred late in the pregnancy

Surgical mistakes during a C-section

There are numerous signs and symptoms, including hematuria, oliguria, lower abdominal pain, ileus, ascites, peritonitis, sepsis, fistula, and an increase in the blood urea nitrogen/creatinine ratio, which might appear in the early post-operative period and are symptomatic of bladder injury. 

Bladder injury can be involved in circumstances such as: 

• During the C-section, the bladder was cut and the injury was not found or repaired. 

• When the bladder was damaged during the C-section, urine leaked through the wound and into the abdomen, resulting in peritonitis, an infection.

• During the C-section, a ureter was sliced, but neither the injury nor its repair was found.

• When a surgeon makes an incision in the skin, and fails to take into account that the patient may be fully dilated, distorting their anatomy. 

• The failure to recognise the dangers of bladder injury when labour is extended and the bladder is swollen.

• The failure to recognise potential bladder injury risks in certain circumstances

• Ignoring the dangers of bladder damage brought on by intra-abdominal adhesions, such as post-operative (nonuterine) pregnancy, persistent pelvic inflammatory disease, cancer, radiation, etc.

• The disregard for the potential dangers of bladder damage brought on by distorted local anatomy, such as a cervical/lower segment fibroid or an anomalous urogenital system.

• The inability to recognise the possibility that bladder injury is more likely in women who have had previous C-sections due to the presence of scar tissue and adhesions.

Symptoms of a cut to the bladder or uterus could include: 

• Blood in the urine

• Bloating of the abdomen

• Abdominal pain

• Abnormal urinalysis results 

• Possible infections such as peritonitis and sepsis

The risk of bladder injuries during a c-section 

The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (RCOG) estimates that one in 1000 Caesarean sections result in bladder damage.

As part of an NHS research project, 5,087 maternity claims totalling £3.1 billion over ten years - from 1 April 2000 to 31 March 2010 - were examined. The research's findings, which were released in 2018 in a paper titled "Ten Years of Maternity Claims: An Analysis of NHS Litigation Authority Data," revealed that the three most common claim types concerned:

• Management of labour (14.05%)

• Caesarean section (13.24%)

• Cerebral palsy (10.65%)

Contact us 

If mistakes were made during your C-section and you sustained an injury to your bladder or uterus you could be entitled to make a compensation claim.

Potter Rees Dolan’s highly experienced birth injury solicitors will support you through the whole process of claiming compensation.

For more information on making a C-section negligence claim or to start your free no-obligation case evaluation, call us today on 0800 027 2557 or complete our online contact form.