"Seemingly misdiagnosed at two separate trusts"

Two years of intermittent rectal bleeding under St Mary's Colorectal Team. It was last November 2013 I finally was taken seriously enough for the trust to run an MRI Proctogram.

They diagnosed Mucosal Prolapse. Told me to live with it as operation would be very painful. Took second opinion at UCLH Colorectal surgeon who also seemingly misdiagnosed.

GP referred me urgently to see the lead surgeon at St Marks Bowel hospital. Was diagnosed with full thickness rectal prolapse requiring Laparascopic ventral rectopexy. This centre of excellence coordinated several other tests which resulted in confirmation of slow transit study confirming I had an extremely slow transit of my sigmoid colon and entire colon. In order for a laparoscopic ventral rectopexy to be done they have advised not to resect my sigmoid colon as it could leak. They have also have advised to think carefully re operating with slow transit problem as operation could result in my colon becoming worse re evacuating although prolapse repaired. In addition there are other factors to beware of re bladder problems post op.

Why I ask myself did St Mary's Hospital fail to run extra diagnostics? Why did they fail to correctly take the initiative time to look into matters more thoroughly?

I can honestly say that the lead surgeon St Marks knew her stuff.

She also commented that St Mary's may not have the necessary expertise when it comes to dealing with complex bowel problems.

Why is it that two NHS Colorectal surgeons failed at UCLH colorectal team and St Mary's team to correctly carry out more tests to evaluate further?

In my experience there was poor medical testing at St Mary's Hospital Paddington for Colorectal Imaging, poor method of examination, poor knowledge of handling my specific rectal bleeding matter and no taking the time to think out of the box re diagnosing.

I experienced total mayhem internally re administration as I discovered after preassessment for my exploratory op Last Nov 2013. There were no preassessment papers for surgeons available on the morning of op. This all seemed very disorganised. I think this Trust should pull its' socks up and put more funds into hospital administration.