A patient at the medical inquiry into a consultant’s fitness to practice has just heard that her ovaries were not removed during a hysterectomy that happened almost four years ago.
Dr Peter Van Geene is accused of Poor Professional Performance in the treatment of four women at Aut Even Hospital in Kilkenny.
Earlier the inquiry heard from a consultant anaesthetist that he and Dr Van Geene did not communicate before or after emergency surgery on the patient, known as Ms C.
Juliette Gash reports:
The Medical Council is looking into the treatment of four women at Aut Even Private Hospital by Consultant gynaecologist Peter Van Geene.
All women had hysterectomies, with a number having serious complications, requiring further surgery.
Day four of the hearing concerned patient C who required follow up surgery and six units of blood after her hysterectomy in October 2011, having suffered a major bleed after the procedure.
Ms C told the inquiry that she had asked Mr Van Geene 2 months later if he had removed her ovaries during the surgery, but he didn’t know as he didn’t have his notes present. She said that she still didn’t know.
Counsel for Dr Van Geene, Eugene Gleeson told Ms C, you never had your ovaries removed. I’m sorry you weren’t told. Ms C told the inquiry she had no complaints about Mr Van Geene, and that he was very reassuring.
Earlier this morning, the inquiry heard from consultant anaesthetist John Cudmore, who assisted Dr Van Geene Ms C’s emergency surgery, after her hysterectomy.
Mr Cudmore said he and Dr Van Geene had not spoken before or after that surgery, as would normally be the case. He also said he felt nobody took the lead on Ms C’s treatment after the hysterectomy, when she developed a post-operative bleed.
Mr Cudmore also told the committee that he had reported to the theatre manager the fact that two hysterectomies had resulted in post operative haemorrhages in a short space of time.
The hearing continues.
