Health authorities are investigating four surgical procedures by a foreign-trained doctor at Rockhampton Hospital in Queensland after it was revealed that a patient at the hospital had the wrong kidney removed in a procedure.
The foreign-trained surgeon, a Spanish national, has had his right to practise at Rockhampton Hospital revoked.
Queensland Health says the doctor trained in Spain as a urologist.
He came to Australia for two years for further training and gained Australian qualifications in 2011.
He is a visiting medical officer (VMO) in the public health system and has also worked in private practice.
It would appear that an artery was nicked during surgery but not detected, and he later re-presented to hospital with quite substantial blood loss.
Charles Ware, CQ Hospital and Health Board
Charles Ware, from the CQ Hospital and Health Board, has told Fairfax Radio that three more operations are now being investigated, including one in which a patient had to be flown to Brisbane for post-operative treatment.
“It would appear that an artery was nicked during surgery but not detected, and he later re-presented to hospital with quite substantial blood loss,” he said.
“Now he is safe and he’s been transported to Brisbane.
“He was beyond the capacity of our hospital in Rockhampton to look after him.”
Probe into ‘failed renal surgery’: Springborg
Health Minister Lawrence Springborg today told State Parliament that two senior staff members at Rockhampton Hospital had been stood down, while an investigation had been launched into four cases involving the same surgeon dating back to 2011.
“Today, the Central Queensland Hospital and Health Service Board is confronting issues that arise from an unacceptable and worrying case of failed renal surgery early this year,” Mr Springborg said.
“A surgeon, required to remove a diseased kidney from the left side of a patient, removed the right kidney instead.
“Systems to protect patients from botched surgery are fundamental to clinical practice.”
A surgeon, required to remove a diseased kidney from the left side of a patient, removed the right kidney instead.
Health Minister Lawrence Springborg
Mr Springborg said the process of credentialing doctors was “complex” and that they underwent “regular performance-based peer review and analysis of their surgical outcomes, including mortality and morbidity”.
Mr Springborg also confirmed that the hospital’s board had terminated the appointment of the acting executive director of medical services and suspended the appointment of the director of surgery at Rockhampton hospital.
“This comes on top of its decision late last week to stand aside a surgeon involved in the incident,” Mr Springborg said.
“A second patient of this surgeon was transported to Brisbane late last week.
“The patient is in a stable condition with some post-surgery complications and was transported to provide access to a urologist should specialist treatment be required.”
Mr Springborg said the board had launched “an independent inquiry, convened under the Hospital and Health Boards Act”, and contacted the Health Quality and Complaints Commission to investigate any wider systemic issues.
Mr Springboard said the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency and the Queensland Board of the Medical Board of Australia would also investigate in line with their role in the supervision of clinical credentialing.
Source: ABC