An expert witness has told a Medical Council fitness to practise inquiry he could not understand why a gynaecologist facing 10 allegations of professional misconduct did not take action when scan results showed there was an obstruction to his patient’s kidney.
Dr Anthony Smith said consultant gynaecologist and obstetrician Dr Patrick Gerard Rafferty should have taken advice from a specialist after seeing the results of the scan on his patient, 56-year-old Cathy Coyle from Terenure in Dublin. The scan was carried out in July 2007, a month after Dr Rafferty performed a hysterectomy on Ms Coyle. It showed there was an obstruction in the patient’s left ureter, a tube that carries fluid from the kidney, and this was causing the kidney to swell.
“This was an emergency in a sense... that obstruction needed to be relieved and promptly,” Dr Smith said.
The obstruction was not relieved, Ms Coyle was seen again in August and was given no further treatment. When she was seen by a specialist the following year her left kidney had ceased functioning.
Dr Rafferty, who practises at Mount Carmel Hospital and Landscape Clinic, both private facilities in Churchtown, Dublin, is facing four allegations of professional misconduct in connection with the case.
Simon Mills SC, for Dr Rafferty, told the inquiry his client “no longer carries out this type of complicated surgery in his practice”. He had also revised his approach to follow up appointments, Mr Mills said.
Dr Rafferty is also facing six allegations arising from a separate case in which he allegedly failed to diagnose an ectopic pregnancy.
The case continues.