Leg amputated after surgery delay

A junior doctor and a surgeon have been ordered to apologise to an elderly man's family for mishandling his care. Photo / Thinkstock

An elderly man with Parkinson's disease had to have his leg amputated after doctors delayed surgery and botched his post-operative care, the Health and Disability Commissioner has found.

In a decision released today, commissioner Anthony Hill censured a series of doctors for mishandling the 79-year-old man's treatment for vascular problems.

The man was admitted to hospital in early 2009 with acute pain in his left leg and a cold, blue, left foot.

It took 10 days for a doctor to refer him to general surgeon and another week before he was given an operation for an aneurysm behind his left knee.

The surgeon treating him then went on leave without handing over adequate instruction for the man's care to an on-call consultant, the decision states.

A junior doctor did not pick up severe post-operative complications and the man was not referred to a vascular surgeon for several days.

By that time, his leg could not be saved and he was given an above-knee amputation.

Mr Hill criticised the way the man's care was handled from the time of his admission in today's decision.

The first doctor to see him, identified only as Dr D, seriously departed from standard care by failing to refer the man for a vascular consultation for 10 days despite him suffering significant pain, the decision said.

His surgeon, known as Dr E, then breached the commission's code of rights by failing to adequately hand over the man's care, it states.

The decision also found an inexperienced junior doctor, known as Dr F, did not take note of the man's deteriorating condition despite concerns being raised by his family and nursing staff.

It said the doctor should have sought specialist help earlier.

Mr Hill ordered the junior doctor and the man's surgeon to apologise to the elderly man's family for mishandling his care.

He called on the two District Health Boards involved in the case to make it clear to all staff members that asking questions on patient care is accepted and expected.

A copy of his final report would be sent to the Medical Council of New Zealand and the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons.