Surgeon denies botching operation

A surgeon is accused of ignoring basic instructions

A woman bled to death after an inexperienced surgeon ignored instructions and botched a simple operation, the General Medical Council has been told.

Senior registrar Kashyap Joshi, 55, was ordered to remove a cyst from Margaret Stone's ovary.

But when he discovered a tumour in her stomach, he decided to take that out too and then wrongly removed part of a kidney as well, the hearing was told.

Mrs Stone, 76, later suffered a massive haemorrhage and died.

Surgeon warned

Mr Joshi, a junior surgeon, had allegedly been warned before the procedure not to attempt anything complicated.

The GMC heard that Mrs Stone had been diagnosed with a right ovarian cyst by consultant Frank McGinn at Lymington Hospital in the New Forest, Hampshire, in September 1996.

Mr McGinn suspected Mrs Stone had cancer, but warned Mr Joshi only to carry out the cyst removal.

Lydia Barnfather, for the GMC, said: "He discussed the operation and made it very clear that Mr Joshi should only perform the simple procedure.

"If there were any doubts, advice ought to be taken by a consultant gynaecologist."

'False account'

Mrs Stone, from Lymington, lost a 'considerable amount' of blood during the four-hour procedure and was transferred to the Royal Bournemouth Hospital.

Senior consultants attempting to save her life could see Mr Joshi's surgical errors, it was claimed.

Medics also discovered Mr Joshi had recorded inaccurate notes giving a false account of his surgery.

A post-mortem revealed Mrs Stone died from a haemorrhage caused by a surgical procedure.

Mr Joshi, of Holne Chase, Morden, Surrey, denies serious professional misconduct.

The hearing continues.