A WOMAN has spoken of her horror after a surgical sponge was wrongly left inside her for 17 months after she underwent a hysterectomy.

Dawn White, 47, from Barkerend Road, is demanding an apology from bosses at Bradford Royal Infirmary following the botched operation, which she says has left her with kidney problems.

The former office worker had the operation to remove her womb and ovaries in July last year when cancer was discovered in her womb, but she never properly recovered and struggled to get answers from doctors about what was wrong with her.

It eventually transpired that a surgical sponge had been left inside her - and she underwent an operation to have it removed on November 22 this year.

Mrs White, who claims she was told she would recover from the first operation in four months, said: “After the operation everything got worse and worse.

“I was annoyed because it has taken them nearly 18 months to get sorted and I’m still in hospital now.

“I don’t like being in hospital because I can’t really go anywhere because doctors want to keep an eye on me.”

Mrs White is now cancer-free, but is still suffering complications from the sponge.

The 47-year-old and her husband, Andrew, are now eager to meet with Professor Clive Kay, Chief Executive of Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, who they hope will apologise and investigate what happened.

“To begin with I want an apology,” she added.

“I’ve not had one and now I want to know why someone did this and why I didn’t get an apology.

“I would like compensation for what I have been through for the last 18 months.

“It’s disgusting what I have gone through and now Christmas is on hold because I might be in here.

Her husband, who used to serve in the military, added: “This is a hospital for human beings and it serves the whole of Bradford, so they should have been on the ball.

“This has dragged on and on, but now we know there was a sponge inside her and her body was attacking it.

“Now the doctors have said her kidneys are starting to stop working because of the toxins in her body from the sponge.

“I wouldn’t have wished this on my worst enemy because it’s not nice.

“They told me they were glad to have found it when they did, which has made me think what would have happened if they hadn’t found it.

“Someone needs to own up and say sorry.”

A spokesman for Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust said: “We are carrying out an investigation into Mrs White’s care and treatment and, in line with the Trust’s policy of openness, we will share our findings with her.

“We have apologised to Mrs White for any harm or distress we may have caused and will continue to liaise with her as the investigation continues.

“We set high standards for ourselves and aim to get every patient’s treatment and care right, and in most cases we do. We are committed to providing high quality healthcare for every patient.”