A PATIENT who had just undergone an operation to remove her womb was astonished when she later found medics had left a surgical glove inside her.
Sharon Birks said she had been feeling unwell after the operation and was horrified when it emerged the glove had been left in her body.
Mrs Birks said it was three days after the hysterectomy was carried out at the Royal Derby Hospital before she herself discovered the error.
The 42-year-old said she had just had her catheter removed and had gone to the toilet when she found the glove.
Derby's hospitals trust chief executive Sue James said staff had apologised in person for the mistake and an investigation would be carried out.
The mum-of-six, of Wirksworth, said: "It was horrible – when I went to the toilet, I just remember having this feeling something had dropped in my stomach.
"Then I felt something rubbery and, the next thing I know, I'm pulling out this great big surgeon's glove – and there's this blood gushing everywhere.
"I just felt sick and giddy and I went straight to the nurse – they gave me a full internal examination and people came down to talk to me about it.
"But I think people should know about this because I would hate to think what would have happened if I'd have gone home before this was discovered."
Mrs Birks said she needed the operation, on Tuesday, November 19, because of a tear which had developed in her womb. It took about five hours.
She remained in the hospital until Friday because she had been feeling unwell the day before and it was thought she might have an infection.
Mrs Birks said she was given a bladder scan to check for problems and doctors gave her antibiotics.
She said: "I just had this really bad stomach ache and it almost felt like something was wedged in my stomach.
"At first, I just thought it was perhaps something to do with my catheter.
"By Thursday, I wasn't ready to go home and now I'm so glad I didn't."
Mrs Birks, a learning disability support worker, said she had felt fully fit again since the glove had been removed.
But she said: "This should never have happened – I was actually told just how careful I needed to be following the operation.
"I just keep wondering what would have happened if the glove had stayed inside me and what damage it could have caused."
Mrs Birks, who lives with husband Darren, 39, said she had been told the investigation by the hospital could take up to three months.
In the meantime, she had been told to come back to the hospital next week for a check-up.
Mrs James said: "We are extremely sorry for the distress that was caused to Mrs Birks. Clearly this should not have happened and we have launched a detailed investigation.
"A consultant and a senior nurse saw Mrs Birks and her husband whilst they were still at the hospital to apologise in person and to inform them a full investigation would take place.
"I have also written to Mrs Birks to offer her sincere apologies for the distress and anxiety that such an unpleasant experience must have caused.
"A full investigation is now underway and, when it has been completed, we will be sharing our findings with Mrs Birks.
"We take patient safety extremely seriously and, at the conclusion of this investigation, we will want to ensure lessons are learnt."
