A PARTICULAR specialism within the discipline of urology is nephrology, which is concerned with issues related to the kidney. A consultant nephrologist deals with renal failure, glomerulonephritis, pylonephritis, renal dialysis, diabetic renal disease and kidney transplantation, as well as medication issues involved in kidney disease.
According to medicalcasenotes.co.uk, common issues that may lead to a claim of clinical negligence include medication causing kidney damage, delay in diagnosis of renal disease, mismanagement of renal failure and hypertension issues related to the kidneys.
An expert in the field is Dr Martin Mansell MD FRCP, who is the consultant nephrologist at the Royal Free and UCL Hospitals, London.
In a chapter in Legally Important Clinical Mistakes, edited by Charles Foster (Claerhout Publishing) he says: “The growth in nephrological clinical negligence cases in the last decade has certainly matched that seen in other areas of the NHS and may even be ahead. Patient numbers and expectations are growing, survival is increasing and new opportunities for therapeutic intervention are developing. Diabetes and hypertension are reaching epidemic proportions in the general population and both of these diseases can have significant renal aspects. Surgeons are performing emergency surgery on older patients and the decline in renal function that occurs with the passage of time means the development of acute renal failure, sometimes irreversible, is no surprise. Most renal units carry a heavy workload, with inadequate resource provision, so it is unlikely that clinical negligence lawyers will find their talents underused.”
Dr Mansell reproduces the chapter, entitled Nephrology for Lawyers, on his website at www.kidneylaw.co.uk, which carries comprehensive information for all lawyers with cases involving kidney conditions.