Woman hears her ovaries were not removed, four years after hysterectomy

A patient of a consultant accused of poor professional performance has been told at a medical inquiry that her ovaries were not removed during a hysterectomy.

A Medical Council Fitness to Practise Inquiry is looking into the conduct of Dr Peter Van Geene at Aut Even Private Hospital, Kilkenny.

Ms C told the inquiry that she had asked Mr Van Geene two months later if he had removed her ovaries during the surgery, but he did not know as he didn’t have his notes present. She said that she still did not know.

The woman, who is in her 60s, has just been informed today almost four years after the surgery, that they were not removed.

The hearing concerns four patients who had hysterectomies between 2009 and 2011, and will continue until Monday.

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.

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 at 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.