Women left in agony after controversial mesh surgery by a surgeon are furious after he told a court the scandal had affected ... his libido. Former patients of Tony Dixon say they were left "disabled" and physically and mentally damaged after undergoing ''unnecessary'' surgery with him.
Hundreds of them came to see him at two Bristol hospitals with bowel problems as he was pioneering a new type of surgery using mesh. Dixon is facing dozens of negligence claims but has now failed to stop reporting restrictions being applied to a legal case.
He is suing his former employer Southmead Hospital in an attempt to stop documents being released to ex patients solicitors, the BBC reports. But his attempt at the High Court to not be named in that case has failed.
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The BBC say his lawyer said being identified could harm his mental health and that he had suffered suicidal thoughts. His legal team say he is also experiencing problems with his libido - because of the media attention, the BBC reported.
A psychiatrist gave a statement to the court saying Mr Dixon was suffering from moderate depression which included "disturbed sleep" and "a loss of libido". In a judgement published on July 26, Judge Mr Justice Nicklin said media attention was the "price to be paid for open justice and the freedom of the press".
One of his ex patients Paula Goss, who founded a support group for women who were treated by Mr Dixon, said his claims were 'outrageous'. Paula, from Rectopexy Mesh Victims and Support, said: "Why should he be allowed to have an anonymous trial?
"Him complaining about his libido was just ridiculous, we have to live our lives with what he did, we have to see him out in the world causing distress. It's more than just the fact he's complaining about suicidal thoughts and depression which many of his victims suffer from, it's that he said we don't even matter.
"We know that someone who had this treatment did commit suicide, but also people have waited so long since the review in 2017 for justice they have since passed away. So him complaining about suicidal thoughts and depression over media coverage seems very unfair compared to what we have suffered through.
"He pioneered this treatment and taught doctors across the UK how to perform the operations, and there are literally thousands of people who have suffered from it. It's because he's been in the media that people who have been suffering realised that they can get support and can get justice.
"Some of our group do find seeing his face in the media difficult, but they understand that he needs to be out there facing justice and being seen in the public. It's like his achilles heel, he can't stand facing the consequences of his actions in public - so he should have to face the media.
"He should think about all the hundreds of patients that he harmed that have not got any libido as well, and that have suicidal thoughts like he is trying to profess he has."
Legal papers from the hearing state: '[The Claimant] stated that during the past three weeks there has been a worsening in his mood and he described his mood as: ‘It’s down. Definitely down, I feel as though I’m relapsing’.
''He described the presence of sleep disturbance, loss of appetite and loss of libido; these are biological symptoms that can be seen in people suffering from a depressive disorder. He also described the presence of depressive symptoms… He stated that he considers the possibility of there being further media attention extremely distressing and that in the event of him not being offered anonymity there would likely be a further deterioration in his mental health.''
A review by Southmead Hospital concluded more than 200 of Mr Dixon's patients should have been offered less invasive treatment first, and while the surgery was satisfactory, it was unnecessary. Dixon has previously said any surgery could have complications and that his operations were done in good faith with most being successful.
A North Bristol NHS Trust spokesperson said: "We welcome the court's ruling that this matter is one to which the usual principles of open justice should still apply. "It would however be inappropriate to comment any further given that the main application hasn't yet been heard in court."
A GMC inquiry into the operations carried out by Mr Dixon will take place at a later date. Speaking about the mesh surgery she underwent, one victim said: "Having to undergo further procedures was difficult and the whole ordeal has really had a massive impact on me. My mental health really took a turn for the worse.
"While nothing can make up for what’s happened I feel I deserved answers so at least I could try and begin to understand what happened. I just hope steps can be taken so no one else is affected in the future.”
Another victim previously told the BBC: '‘I felt violated. Beyond angry, beyond upset. ‘It affects your everyday life. Your body aches, you have to run to the toilet, you’ve got no control over it whatsoever.’
When contacted for a comment Mr Dixon told the BBC: "I am unable to comment while proceedings are ongoing." The North Bristol NHS Trust, which runs Southmead Hospital, dismissed Mr Dixon in 2019.
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