Man's pains 'from uterus op'

Les Kennington's 'hysterectomy' will remain on his medical file. Photo / File

A Dannevirke man has been told by a local health board his stomach pain may have been caused by a hysterectomy - the surgical removal of a woman's uterus.

Les Kennington, 39, is a father of three and insists he has never had a uterus.

"A few years ago I did have an operation to correct a hernia, but it's concerning they could not tell the difference between a hernia and a hysterectomy, nor could they tell the difference between a male and a female," Mr Kennington told the Manawatu Standard.

He had severe stomach pain over several years, until an ultrasound by a trainee sonographer showed up gallstones.

A supervisor dismissed it and ordered a CT scan on September 6 this year.

A report from the scan showed Mr Kennington was clear of gallstones, "but there is evidence of surgical clips, and your hysterectomy is stable".

MidCentral Health Clinical Support Services clinical director Kevin Smidt said the report included inaccuracies caused by "human error".

The scan report had been amended, he said, but the history of Mr Kennington's "hysterectomy" would remain on his file, because of requirements by the Radiologist College.

- AAP