Gleneagles liable for wrong surgical procedure
-
SINGAPORE: Private investor Li Siu Lun, 54, who had an additional procedure performed on him during a surgery without his consent in 2006, was finally vindicated on Wednesday after the High Court entered a judgement against Gleneagles Hospital.
Mr Li, a Hong Kong resident, had consulted hand surgeon Dr Looi Kok Poh from Gleneagles Hospital for a tenolysis operation on his right wrist.
It was meant to separate fused tendons to improve mobility of the fingers.
Mr Li had signed a consent form for the surgery for "Tenolysis Right Wrist" but not an "Ulnar Neurolysis and Repair" - a surgical procedure of re-attaching severed nerves - which was performed on him.
This only came to light after the condition of Mr Li's right hand deteriorated and he sought the second opinion of a specialist in London, who told him that two surgeries had been performed on his right hand.
He subsequently requested from the hospital his medical records and saw the addition of "ulnar neurolysis and repair" on his patient consent form.
Realising the form had been altered, he asked to see the original consent form but was unable to get an appointment to see Dr Looi.
According to court documents, the hospital had already known, through its internal inquiry in August 2007, that the consent form was doctored, but supplied Mr Li with a copy any way.
On Wednesday, the court entered a judgement against Gleneagles Hospital and deemed it liable to Mr Li for supplying the altered form to him on September 12, 2007.
Mr Li sued Dr Looi and Gleneagles Hospital for negligence and personal injury in 2009 and judgement was entered against Dr Looi in June last year, after the doctor admitted liability.
Mr Li's damages and costs awarded to him by both the doctor and the hospital are being assessed.
Outside the courtroom, Mr Li told the media he was relieved. Speaking in Cantonese, he said: "Justice has at last been served."
The hospital's CEO, Dr Kok Mun Foong, apologised for the episode in a statement.
He said: "We regret that the actions of one of our nurses and the patient's surgeon have caused Mr Li distress.
"On behalf of Gleneagles Hospital, we apologise to Mr Li for what he has gone through. We are happy that the court has concluded the case. We can now focus our energies on caring for our patients."
- CNA /ls -
very bad, imagine you want your husband's son, ended up give birth to a child who speaks typcial cheenland cheena in ttheir thick accent
-
the doc probably got slapped on the wrist ... and the nurse got fired .......
-
like that only arh? so serious you know.
-
why does he have to waste money to engage a lawyer to sue them?
Just make a police report as its a crime to alter the consent form and let the police charge them
-
Originally posted by single_alone:
why does he have to waste money to engage a lawyer to sue them?
Just make a police report as its a crime to alter the consent form and let the police charge them
the case so big now, u mean the police have not heard of it and haven charge the doc yet?
-
Originally posted by Rooney9:
the case so big now, u mean the police have not heard of it and haven charge the doc yet?
police will only investigate if somebody make a report. if not they don't care