ROCKHAMPTON surgeon Dr Antonio Vega Vega, who removed the wrong kidney when operating on a patient, will be allowed to practice without any conditions.
“In my view Dr Vega Vega does not pose a serious risk to persons,” Judge Alexander Hornemann-Wren said in Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal.
“The surgery which he and others perform does pose a risk to persons, often a serious risk.”
Spanish-trained urologist Dr Vega Vega removed a Rockhampton Hospital patient’s right kidney instead of the left on January 22, sparking a Medical Board investigation.
The patient had a contorted spine and an anatomy so abnormal both kidneys may have been positioned on one side of the body, the tribunal heard.
Judge Hornemann-Wren said he took into account the evidence of Dr Simon Wood, director of urology at Princess Alexandra Hospital, who spoke highly of Dr Vega Vega.
Dr Wood did not believe the Rockhampton urologist posed a serious risk to patients.
The judge said Dr Wood said that if he or one of his colleagues had performed the same surgery, even with the most experienced Brisbane surgeons, he could not say the outcome would have been different.
“He knows from personal experience that the removal of the wrong organ … due to disorientation, due to abnormal anatomy, has certainly happened in highly regarded tertiary referral centres in Brisbane in recent times,” the judge said.
Judge Hornemann-Wren set aside a May 9 decision by the Medical Board of Australia to suspend Dr Vega Vega and also set aside conditions imposed by the board
The Medical Board has since said it has taken interim steps to limit Dr Vega Vega’s medical registration to protect public safety, while additional information is gathered.
A spokeswoman said the Board had sought clinical advice about the doctor’s management of a number of incidents in Rockhampton that had triggered notifications to the Board.
QCAT today determined restrictions on Dr Vega Vega’s registration were not necessary and ordered conditions be removed, and that had been done, the spokeswoman said.
“On behalf of the Board, the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency will continue its investigations into the notifications,’’ she said.
Meanwhile, Dr Vega Vega said he was gratified the judge had renewed his right to practice medicine without conditions and he thanked him for his careful analysis of the evidence.
“l look forward to resuming medical practice in Rockhampton,’’ Dr Vega Vega, who is holidaying overseas with his family, said in a statement.
He said the seven-hour operation for removal of the female patient’s kidney had been difficult and he had exercised the “utmost care’’.
“The operation took place on the correct side,’’ Dr Vega Vega said.
“I had no warning that the organ which I removed … was in fact the incorrect organ.’’
He said the kidney had been located where he had expected the intended kidney to be.
“Nonetheless, I regret deeply the adverse result of that operation for this young woman,’’ Dr Vega Vega said.
“I also regret that I was unable, when the error was discovered, to communicate the news and my apologies to the patient and her family, personally.
“I deeply apologise to them now.’’
The Tribunal is continuing investigations into other matters involving Dr Vega Veg
Source: News.com.au