An anaesthetist told the GMC today (Tues) how he w
An anaesthetist told the GMC today (Tues) how he witnessed a surgeon’s blunder which left a woman bleeding ‘vigorously’ the day before she died.
Nicholas Parry said he desperately tried to correct the blood loss by pumping in replacement supplies even when the operation had finished.
Julian Mason, 38, allegedly tried to use a laser to stop massive bleeding in the 43-year-old’s throat but instead cut into the major artery in her neck.
Mason also accidentally tore a nerve in another patient’s throat and caused substantial blood loss that led to a fatal heart attack, it is claimed.
The two patients who died were among 13 who suffered poor treatment at the hands of Dr Mason while he was laser protection supervisor in the ENT Department of the Royal Bolton Hospital.
He was also caught drinking on call three times and allegedly failed to respond to his on-call bleeper because he was watching a Manchester United match at Old Trafford.
Dr Mason was employed as a consultant ear, nose and throat surgeon at the Royal Bolton Hospital during 1998 and 1999.
The 43-year-old woman patient, referred to as WW, had a long history of throat problems and was referred to the Royal Bolton Hospital in Minerva Road because she had tasted blood at the back of her throat.
On November 30, 1999, Dr Mason carried out surgery using a laser to seal blood vessels on the woman’s tongue.
But anaesthetist Dr Parry, from Didsbury, said he noticed the bleeding was becoming heavy.
He said: ‘It was quite vigorous loss of blood over a short period of time.
‘I was concerned this would have an effect on a patient’s cardio-vascular system.
‘The operation continued for a long period, longer than you would have expected.
‘Eventually the blood flow stopped but I continued the intravenous infusion.
‘The patient then went to recovery and I was informed by the recovery nurse that the patient was in some discomfort.
‘I prescribed morphine to treat that pain.
‘
The committee has heard the damage was caused by the laser and led to a blood loss of 1.
5 litres.
Following the operation WW’s throat began to swell and the next day she began bleeding from the mouth.
She later died despite efforts to clear blood from her mouth.
It is claimed Mason failed to record the levels of energy used used by the laser and caused the damage to the carotid artery.
The surgeon’s barrister Christina Lambert said: ‘Dr Mason accepts full responsibility for Miss WW’s death and the course of events you have just described.
‘There is no dispute there was a bleed and steps were taken to apply pressure to control that bleeding using a gag.
‘
Mr Parry replied: ‘I was not aware of the manner in which the bleeding was controlled.
‘She remained in the theatre longer than anticipated because of the abnormal blood loss.
‘
The committee heard that Dr Mason worked as an ear, nose and throat specialist in Nottingham, Derby and Leicester before moving to Bolton in February 1998.
He is now working in psychiatry at the Fairmile Hospital in Oxfordshire and has no intention of resuming work as a surgeon.
Dr Mason, of (2A) Essex Street, Newbury, Berks, denies serious professional misconduct.
The hearing continues and is scheduled to last up to a month.
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