Expert witness testifies at Fitness-to-Practice Inquiry

An expert witness has told a Fitness-to-Practice Inquiry that if he had three significant post-operative bleeds after a hysterectomy, he would stop performing the surgery.

Peter McKenna was testifying at the Medical Council’s hearing of allegations of poor professional performance by Dr Peter Van Geene.

[comment] Dr Peter Van Geene[/comment]

The consultant gynaecologist conducted hysterectomies on four women at Aut Even Private Hospital, Kilkenny between 2009 and 2011.

Dr McKenna has told the committee he thought two of the hysterectomies were unnecessary, but counsel for Dr Van Geene says another renowned gynaecologist will say that hysterectomy was the right treatment in the case of Patient A.

Former Master of the National Maternity Hospital Dr Peter Boylan is expected to be called when the inquiry next sits.