
Dr Yahya Al-Abed (not pictured) admitted mistakenly taking out the patient’s ovary as an alternative of her appendix. Photograph: Christopher Furlong/Getty Pictures
A junior physician who mistakenly removed an ovary from a pregnant female who later on died has been allowed to carry on practising by a health care watchdog.
Mother-of-three Maria De Jesus, 32, was twenty weeks pregnant with her fourth youngster when she was admitted to Queen’s Hospital in Romford, Essex, suffering from suspected appendicitis.
The “difficult” operation was carried out at the weekend by junior surgeon Yahya Al-Abed, who eliminated her ovary in error, while the more senior advisor had gone residence.
Much less than 3 weeks later on, on seven November 2011, she was readmitted struggling abdominal pains, but she miscarried her little one boy and died on the working table 4 days later.
Mr Al-Abed, a fifth-year trainee surgeon who had worked for the hospital for less than 3 weeks, admitted to a catalogue of mistakes when he came just before the Fitness to Practise panel of the Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service last month.
He denied misconduct but admitted he failed to realise he had taken out the ovary rather than the appendix, did not tell his seniors he had minor experience carrying out the operation on pregnant girls, and failed to get supervision from a consultant surgeon in the course of the operation.
But in spite of admitting to the error which ultimately value Ms De Jesus her daily life, the panel ruled that he can carry on to practise as a surgeon.
They have, even so, imposed a range of restrictions to tighten supervision of the medical professional, like having all his operations supervised by a advisor or physician of equivalent seniority, and the appointment of a mentor.
The disciplinary hearing had been informed that Mr Al-Abed had demonstrated a “cavalier frame of mind” by failing to guarantee his supervising advisor was known as to the working room to assist him, and permitting a junior medical doctor aid him in the operation.
But the panel said it listened to proof the physician had been left “out on a limb” due to the method he was working in and determined it was in the public’s curiosity to hold the surgeon on NHS books.
Offering their written determination, they said: “The panel accepted that you are genuinely remorseful about your failings.
“Irrespective of subsequent occasions and the tragic end result for Patient A (Maria De Jesus) this situation has obviously had a profound personalized impact upon you.
“It has been the two a salutary lesson and a deeply humbling knowledge which will remain with you for the rest of your existence. The proof ahead of the panel indicated that the deep and lasting affect on you is this kind of that you are extremely unlikely to practise in a way which poses an unwarranted threat to your sufferers in the potential.”
Mr Babatunde Coker, the advisor on call that weekend, admitted failing in his role by not carrying out the operation himself or overseeing the surgery by the registrar, despite the fact that he denied misconduct.
The panel heard Mr Coker had witnessed Ms De Jesus when she was initial admitted to the hospital on 21 October 2011, when an appendectomy was advisable.
The mother-of-three was put on the emergency surgical treatment list, but mentioned she would communicate to her husband just before giving consent for the operation.
Mr Coker went to the coffee room although waiting for Ms De Jesus to give consent. Obtaining heard absolutely nothing back, he went house after agreeing Mr Al-Abed would carry out the procedure. He failed to check out if the surgical procedure had been carried out in his absence.
The panel ruled he had “failed to appropriately undertake your part as consultant surgical lead”, but ruled he could also continue practising, topic to higher supervision and the appointment of a mentor.
Mr Coker’s registration conditions final for a period of 12 months, and conditions on Mr Al-Abed’s registration last for 18 months.
Junior doctor to proceed perform regardless of getting rid of patient"s ovary in error