Surgeon shows photo of tattooed genitals

A SURGEON faces a disciplinary hearing for snapping a photo of a patient’s tattooed genitals during an operation and showing it to other doctors.

Administrators at Mayo Clinic Hospital in Arizona in the US said Dr Adam Hansen, chief resident of general surgery, admitted taking the photo with his phone on December 11. The tattoo on strip club owner Seán Dubowik’s penis reads Hot Rod.

Mr Dubowik, 27, who had undergone a gallbladder operation, said Dr Hansen told him he took the picture while inserting a catheter into his penis. A member of the surgical staff made an anonymous call about it.

“He told me he didn’t want me to read about it in the newspaper first,” Mr Dubowik said.

Dr Hansen wasn’t available for comment and has been placed on administrative leave. He could face a range of punishments, from probation to dismissal.

“Patient privacy is a serious matter, and photographing someone in this manner without a good reason is something we will investigate down to the last detail,” said Dr Joseph Sirven, education director for Mayo Clinic Arizona, the hospital’s parent organisation.

Mr Dubowik said he got the tattoo owing to a bet and “it was the most horrible thing I ever went through in my life”.

He said he planned to seek legal advice.