Delay in treating woman after surgery, inquiry told

THERE was undue delay in treating a woman after undergoing a gynaecological procedure, an expert told a Medical Council fitness to practise inquiry.

Consultant gynaecologist and former master of the National Maternity Hospital Dr Peter Boylan was giving evidence in relation to the care given to a mother-of-two who died three years after a routine surgical procedure in 2005.

Saundra O’Connor, aged 39, of Claregalway, Co Galway, died in February 2008, three years after undergoing a laparoscopy procedure in the Galway Clinic.

A laparoscopy is a commonly performed key- hole procedure to examine abdominal organs.

The woman developed an infection immediately after the operation in January 2005 that caused septic shock, multi-organ failure, cardiac arrest and severe brain damage.

The woman was resuscitated and remained in a coma for three years.

Dr Andrea Herman, who performed the laparoscopy and removed an ovarian cyst from Ms O’Connor, has already admitted professional misconduct in her care of Ms O’Connor.

The hearing is also examining six other complaints made against Dr Hermann involving patients who were under her care at the Galway Clinic between 2005 and 2008.

Dr Boylan said it was reasonable for Dr Hermann to proceed with the laparoscopy if the woman was complaining of pain.

But, he said, the doctor did not respond quickly enough when Ms O’Connor became unwell and developed a temperature after the procedure.

“I think there was undoubtedly delay in treatment and delay in diagnosis. There is no question about that at all,” he said.

The woman, who was admitted to the clinic following the day procedure had Strep A, a rare infectious disease.

Dr Boylan said treating the woman with antibiotics earlier would probably have made a substantial difference.

The woman had developed a very high fever indicating that she had developed a serious infection.

The other case being examined in public involves another mother-of-two, a 39-year-old teacher who suffered from Factor 11 deficiency, a rare bleeding disease.

The woman was admitted to Galway University Hospital in 2008 after undergoing a hysterectomy carried out by Dr Hermann at the Galway Clinic.

Dr Boylan said the choice of hysterectomy in dealing with the woman’s particular problems was entirely appropriate and correct and that her blood loss during the procedure was minimal.

Dr Hermann had also consulted a haematologist to get advice on the woman’s blood disorder and had ensured fresh frozen plasma was available on the day of the procedure. All appropriate precautions had been taken, he said.

Dr Boylan said there was no indication that the woman had experienced a bleed when she was admitted to Galway University Hospital almost two weeks after the procedure when it was found she had haematoma – an accumulation of blood at the top of the vagina.

Dr Boylan said the hospital were slow to pick up on the woman’s condition but it would be difficult to blame anyone for not quickly spotting something that was extremely rare.