Women's hysterectomies were unnecessary, witness tells medical inquiry

An expert witness has told a medical inquiry that he believes two women underwent unnecessary hysterectomies at the hands of Peter Van Geene.

Peter McKenna told the consultant’s fitness- to-practice inquiry that he believes there was a pattern of poor professional performance in Mr Van Geene’s treatment of his four patients at Aut Even Hospital.

[comment] Dr Peter Van Geene[/comment]

Peter McKenna, clinical director and former Master of the Rotunda Hospital, is the expert witness in the Fitness to Practice Inquiry of consultant obstetrician Peter Van Geene over his treatment of four women at Aut Even Hospital, Kilkenny, between 2009 and 2011.

Three of the women had post-operative haemorrhages after a hysterectomy, which Dr McKenna said was rare.

He said he could not recall any patient at his hospital requiring six units of blood after a hysterectomy in the past decade or more, as two of Dr Van Geene’s patients did.

Dr McKenna told the committee that the pattern of outcomes for the women would give him cause for concern at the professional performance of Mr Van Geene.

He also said that he believed two of the women did not require the hysterectomies they underwent.

Furthermore he told the committee that it would be inexplicable for a surgeon to be rude to a patient that needed intensive care following surgery they had performed.

The inquiry continues on Monday.