Miraculous endocarditis client awarded compensation and featured in the media
Greg Hutton, a 62-year-old from Swansea, survived two bouts of endocarditis – a serious and usually fatal infection of the heart - and came to us to help with his medical negligence claim. His story was so unique that he has been featured in many news publications including The Independent and The Standard.
Endocarditis affects between 2,000 and 6,000 people in the UK each year. It develops when bacteria or fungi enter the bloodstream and attack the heart, and often leads to life-threatening complications. Most people with healthy hearts won’t ever experience this type of infection, but those with pre-existing heart conditions are particularly vulnerable.
The problem for Greg was that he had received heart surgery in 2014, which was successful, but it meant he was vulnerable to these types of infections. He then required a tooth extraction in 2017 for which vulnerable patients would normally be given prophylactic antibiotics as a preventative measure against infection.
Unfortunately, the dentist misinterpreted the guidelines from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) and failed to prescribe the relevant antibiotics.
Two-weeks after the dental procedure, Greg became very unwell and was admitted to hospital, but they misdiagnosed his condition and discharged him.
Medical staff ignore or misdiagnose continuing health problems
Over the following months, his condition worsened and he had regular consultations with his GP and multiple referrals to different departments including physiotherapy, urology, and hematology, but despite being seen 27 times by medical professionals, his condition remained undiagnosed.
It wasn’t until mid-way through 2018, after blood cultures were taken and tested positive, that Greg was told he had significant damage to his heart, caused by the untreated endocarditis and he would need an operation to redo the previous valve replacement in his heart.
The surgery went well and Greg was discharged from hospital to begin his recovery, only to become ill in March 2019 with similar symptoms as before: flu-like symptoms and hallucinations.
He was admitted back to hospital with a suspected second case of endocarditis, although this time he tested positive for a rare fungal endocarditis that was attached to his new heart valve.
Fortunately after six weeks of antifungal treatment, he was able to be discharged from hospital and remained on long-term anti-suppressant medication, with clinicians who treated him commenting on how rare it is to survive two bouts of endocarditis.
The problems didn’t end there. In June 2020 Greg suffered a heart attack, likely to have been from infective material in his blood that broke off the prosthetic valve and caused a blockage. Two more operations followed, one to remove a surgical wire, and another to repair the damage to his heart valve.
In 2024, following a lengthy and complex battle with the Dentist’s insurance company, we were able to successfully recover compensation for Greg for his pain and suffering, and other losses as a result of the original negligence.
Dentists misinterpreting NICE health guidelines caused increases in endocarditis
This all stemmed from changes to the NICE guidelines in 2008 where dentists were advised that antibiotics should no longer be prescribed. However, when the guidelines were changed, NICE only assessed a small proportion of the evidence that was available and made a number of errors on the interpretation, including underestimating the risk of patients with prosthetic valves developing infective endocarditis.
Despite the guidelines, clinicians were still able to exercise clinical judgement for each individual patient and someone with Greg’s medical history should have been given the antibiotics by his dentist.
After the NICE guidelines changed, dentists stopped prescribing antibiotics to dental patients before procedures. Unfortunately, there was almost immediately a sharp rise in the cases of infective endocarditis. There were many campaigns and in 2016 the guidance changed once again.
However the change was subtle, and the word “routinely” was added into the guidance, to indicate that antibiotics should be prescribed in cases where the patient was high risk, but otherwise they should not routinely be prescribed.
It is clear that this small and subtle change was not given the weight that it deserved by dentists and as a result, many patients like Greg were not given antibiotics when they should have been.
Greg is now campaigning to have the guidance changed, to be more clear, as many patients like him, have been significantly affected, or, sadly have lost their lives as a result of endocarditis.
Law firms don't always take on endocarditis claims
Medical negligence endocarditis compensation claims are notoriously complex, so many personal injury law firms won’t take on these cases. They can be challenging to prove, often involve ambiguous medical guidelines, such as the NICE guidelines in this case, and the insurance companies tend to strongly defend claims. Unfortunately, this leaves many people without the legal support they need during some of the most difficult times in their lives.
At Wolferstans, however, we saw the devastating impact Greg’s case had on his life and knew we had to act. We were determined to help him not only pursue justice but also raise awareness about the broader issues surrounding endocarditis and its treatment.
With our support, Greg successfully held those responsible for his care accountable. Now, he is working to push for changes to the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines to prevent others from suffering similar life-changing illnesses or death.
As Greg explains:
"Following my diagnosis of endocarditis, every aspect of my life changed. I was in and out of hospital for years, completely unable to work and in near constant pain. I am profoundly lucky to be able to sit here today and talk about my experience. There are countless others that were not so lucky.
"The current guidance is at best out of date and at worst actively preventing people from getting the antibiotics they need to prevent this life-threatening condition. I am calling on NICE to update its guidance to recommend the use of antibiotics for high-risk patients like me. For those with underlying heart conditions, antibiotics can literally make the difference between life and death."
The broader impact of this endocarditis claim
The medical negligence solicitor who worked on Greg’s case, Holly Bowditch, has explained the challenges these cases present and the urgent need for reform:
"Since the NICE guidelines were changed in 2008, advising against the prescription of antibiotics prior to invasive dental procedures, around 6,700 people have contracted endocarditis when it could have been avoided. It’s estimated that approximately 2,000 deaths could have been prevented.
"Unfortunately, the current guidance remains ambiguous, and many high-risk patients continue to undergo invasive procedures without appropriate antibiotic cover. These cases are incredibly difficult to pursue because the guidance itself is so unclear. Many law firms are reluctant to take on such claims because they are often fiercely defended, and the legal costs can escalate quickly.
"We were determined to ensure he had access to justice and to bring attention to the broader issues with the guidelines. If more specific guidance was available, it could prevent harm to many individuals, while also giving dentists the clarity they need when treating high-risk patients."
If you or a loved one has experienced illness or injury as a result of medical negligence, our specialist team at Wolferstans is here to help. We understand how difficult these situations can be and are committed to providing the guidance and support you need.