A woman is claiming she suffered injuries during a botched operation to remove her appendix.

Kumiko Denney, 38, of College Road, Ardingly, near Haywards Heath, is suing Brighton and Sussex University Hospital NHS Trust for damages between £50,000 and £100,000 for negligence.

She was admitted to the Royal Sussex County Hospital in Brighton on November 20, 2006, and had an appendicectomy the next day.

She was discharged two days later but readmitted on November 27, 2006, with stomach pain, abdominal swelling, nausea and vomiting, according to a High Court writ.

A bowel blockage was diagnosed and over the next three days she was kept under observation and given treatment, it is claimed.

On December 1, an abdominal X-ray showed the bowel blockage was worse than first thought.

She was operated on three days later but her symptoms persisted and she had another operation and eventually left the hospital on Christmas Eve 2006.

The writ claimed the hospital:

● Failed to treat Ms Denney, who was 35 at the time, with reasonable care and skill.

● Failed to perform surgery within 48 hours of her readmission which would have been critical in avoiding strangulation of the bowel.

● Failed to pay proper attention to the X-ray.

The writ said: “She has two children aged ten and 14 and she has found it difficult to cope because of the laxity and loss of function of her anterior abdominal wall due to an incisional hernia.

“She has considerable restriction of physical activities, particularly in terms of gardening which she normally enjoys, and also her ability to enjoy long walks.”

The writ concluded Ms Denney was unable to have any more children due to scarring and additional surgery.

She has also been left with anxiety and depression.

A spokeswoman for Brighton and Sussex University Hospital NHS Trust said: “We are unable to comment while the legal process is under way.”