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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Surgeon claiming someone else did my surgery

84 replies

Lima1 · 15/10/2020 12:44

This is an odd one and I am not sure whether or not I need to look further into it.
I had mid cycle spotting and changes to my cycle about 2.5 years ago. GP referred me to the colposcopy unit and I had a vaginal ultrasound and hysteroscopy. A female Asian woman (her race is important for what comes later) carried out these tests and she spotted 2 polpys one in my cervix and one in my womb. She pointed them out to me, they looked like little mushrooms. She said they needed to be removed as they have the potential to turn cancerous.
A month later I was booked into hospital to have them removed under general anesthetic. I was reluctant to have a general and I was informed before the procedure that they could do it with a local to which I gladly agreed.
I remember being brought into surgery, I met a female nurse and male anesthetist who left as he wasn't needed and the surgeon. I didn't take much notice of the surgeon but if you asked me after the fact I would have said it was the same woman who did the tests. It was an Asian lady as well but with the mask on I couldn't swear to it and cross racial identification has its difficulties.
I was awake during the procedure, she spoke to me a couple of times, I remember the comments she made.
All was good and I had no spotting for 18/20 months until it resumed earlier this year. I had spotting, much heavier bleeding, periods lasting longer and more painful. Went back to GP and we felt maybe the polyps were back.
Got another appt at the Colposcopy until. Met the same lady as the first time. She was very rude her opening comments were:
" I saw you here two years ago, I recommended you get the coil (she did for heavy periods) but you did nothing about it and are back again. Do you intend on coming here to me every two years".

I was very taken aback, I said I had polyps the last time, no problems after their removal until a few months ago when I developed similar symptoms and myself and GP thought maybe polyps were back.
She said she read the surgical notes and no polyps were removed as none detected during the surgery. I said this was news to me and GP and that we had not been informed of same and both of us were operating under the impression the two polyps had been removed.

She did a vaginal ultrasound and took a biopsy of my cervix, she then sat me down and went through the notes of the surgery. She said a man carried out the surgery, that she couldn't read his notes, that the photos he took of my cervix or womb were not clear but that it was written in the notes that no polyps were recognized.
She was quite rude, kept pushing me to have a coil fitted, made it seem like I was wasting her time there, etc.

Anyway the point is I am 100% sure a woman carried out the surgery and I am 80% sure it was an Asian woman and my impression was it was her. It was definitely a women talking to me during the procedure (I couldn't see as the curtain was up) no man was introduced to me in theatre as doing the operation.
I am now a bit worried if something has gone wrong somewhere. If notes were mixed up or she is covering for herself.
I am considering asking for a copy of my notes.

The local anesthetic made me drowsy so I cant be 100% sure of everything but I can be that sure that it was a woman down there.

Does this sound strange?

OP posts:
LaBellina · 15/10/2020 12:48

I would get to the bottom of this. I would also suspect that notes she went trough were not yours.

And make a complaint about her dismissive attitude towards you. You should not feel coerced into getting a coil if you don't want to. No woman should be.

dairyswim · 15/10/2020 12:49

It sounds like she was reading someone's else's file.

CausingChaos2 · 15/10/2020 12:54

How odd. Yes to getting a copy of your notes, and in your shoes I’d make a complaint about her manner.

FlorenceNightshade · 15/10/2020 12:54

Make a request to view your notes. And get back in touch with your GP with your concerns. It is a bit odd but hopefully there’s a straightforward explanation

TheRealJeanLouise · 15/10/2020 12:55

Could it be a female registrar under a male consultant that carried out the surgery? If so the letters and notes might be written by the supervising consultant but actually his registrar did the op.

I would ask for a copy of your notes and it’ll probably all become clear.

NotOfThisWorld · 15/10/2020 13:01

YANBU I would definitely follow this up. It does sound a bit like your notes are confused or something has been miscommunicated along the way.

Girlwhowearsglasses · 15/10/2020 13:04

Don't consider getting your notes do it! It's your absolute right. You will know what is says and if it refers to you or not. Double check dates and times too.
Don't let this go.
Don't stand for bossy belittling attitude either.
When 8 months pregnant I came into the antenatal unit with spotting and was examined and berated for not having had a smear before getting pregnant (despite having had a miscarriage immediately before getting pregnant again so hardly worrying about smear tests) no woman wants to be berated for something in the past when she's got someone else's hands up her vagina and is worrying about the immediate danger!
Complain and speak to PALS (patient liaison(

SoddingWeddings · 15/10/2020 13:06

Ask to see your GP notes too - you should have had a letter sent from the surgeon to your GP to tell them what happened during surgery....

LIZS · 15/10/2020 13:14

I don't think it would be unusual for the referring doctor (gynaecologist presumably in this case) to not be the surgeon on the day.

JuiceBogTrotter · 15/10/2020 13:15

Did you get a discharge letter after the operation?
Possible that somebody did the surgery but you were under a different consultant?
I would get copies of your notes and find out exactly what they say.

Plmoknijb123 · 15/10/2020 13:19

Ask for copies of all of your medical records under GDPR including all notes about you. Then go through them all.

Also if it seems something is amiss, call the medical practice board and report her. This sounds awful, sorry you have to go through this Flowers

jessstan1 · 15/10/2020 13:20

LaBellina: I would also suspect that notes she went trough were not yours.
....
I think that too, maybe she was given the wrong notes or there is a patient with a similar name.

Your GP will have a copy of the operation notes and a discharge summary, please do speak to him/her and get copies because this really does need to be clarified.

Whatever the situation, it sounds as though the doctor was a bit rude to you. I'd have thought whether or not to have a coil was entirely the patient's choice.

MissLucyEyelesbarrow · 15/10/2020 13:20

@LIZS

I don't think it would be unusual for the referring doctor (gynaecologist presumably in this case) to not be the surgeon on the day.
That is true but, in this case, the OP was awake for the surgery.

OP, I agree with PPs saying she probably had the wrong notes in Outpatients. That is not her fault (the medical records dept may have sent the wrong ones, or the clinic administrator may have requested the wrong ones), but she should have checked, especially when you queried whether what she was saying about your op was correct. I would contact PALS, and also complain about her attitude.

ohlookout · 15/10/2020 13:22

Odds on that they've mixed up your notes with someone else's, either she was reading from the wrong file or they've included someone elses notes in your file

MissLucyEyelesbarrow · 15/10/2020 13:22

@SoddingWeddings

Ask to see your GP notes too - you should have had a letter sent from the surgeon to your GP to tell them what happened during surgery....
As a GP, I can only say 'If only'. If the GP got a discharge letter at all, it was probably very basic and won't clear up the mystery. The OP needs to contact the hospital.
MissLucyEyelesbarrow · 15/10/2020 13:23

@ohlookout

Odds on that they've mixed up your notes with someone else's, either she was reading from the wrong file or they've included someone elses notes in your file
Yes, this is a possibility too - the operation note may be filed in the wrong records. But, again, she could have checked this when you queried, because the op note should have your name at the top.
thenightsky · 15/10/2020 13:26

Yes, definitely see your notes, especially the letters that would have gone to your GP after your colposcopy where you saw the 'little mushrooms' and the letter to your GP from the operation/discharge.

MissLucyEyelesbarrow · 15/10/2020 13:26

Your GP will have a copy of the operation notes and a discharge summary, please do speak to him/her and get copies because this really does need to be clarified

GPs do not get copies of operation notes.

IncandescentSilver · 15/10/2020 13:27

How strange, and yes she was rude to the extent that I would be suspicious that she was trying to cover up a mistake. There was no other logical reason for her to be so rude to you.

I would contact a solicitor and get one letter sent out detailing all of this and asking for further information. You could also put in a Freedom of Information to the hospital trust yourself asking for the missing details. One solicitor's letter shouldn't be too expensive and might get the ball rolling.

Fink · 15/10/2020 13:28

Definitely ask to see your notes and keep pushing to find out what actually happened.

As an aside, I've been referred for a hysteroscopy after 8 years of constant spotting and heavy periods. Was it ok? I've heard some horror stories.

Cloudybean · 15/10/2020 13:29

She should have access to your notes anyway, it does seem odd. I would request a copy of my medical records, usually there's a form you send to the hospital.

Lowkee · 15/10/2020 13:31

I had a hysteroscopy and the surgeon who carried it out told me after the fact that 'everything is normal, we took a biopsy, but everything looks normal'. In the letter to the GP, it says that I had a 2cm polyp removed. I was never told that I had one, let alone that it had been removed. I think they take us for idiots half the time.

Lowkee · 15/10/2020 13:35

I was also pushed to have a mirena coil fitted which I refused as it affects my mental health. Not sure what hormones are going to do to remove polyps. Meh. I have had so many weird experiences with doctors that I now interrogate them (politely) and take most of what I'm told with a pinch of salt until I read their discharge letters. Your GP would be the best one to request your file from. Then you can request the specific files from your hysteroscopy and previous examinations. She sounds very rude though. Putting it mildly.

TheDuchessofDukeStreet · 15/10/2020 13:36

Hi Op, I’m a nurse. Our hospital theatres keep a log book recording each surgical procedure, I think this is mandatory so they should be able to check this as well as your notes.

ProudAuntie76 · 15/10/2020 13:37

Mistakes happen with notes and YADNBU My Mum went to the GP before a holiday of a lifetime for her 70th and I collected her in floods of tears. It was a locum and she’d went about her blood pressure tablets, the locum looked at her notes and told her she was in final stage heart failure since the second of her two heart attacks and that she might not be safe to fly and had to be careful if she wanted to prolong her life as best as she could. She’d been under a cardiologist for many years but this was all new information.

My Mum didn’t know she’d had even one heart attack, had never been told of being in heart failure and had holidayed regularly. The dates of the heart attacks coincided with times she’d been in hospital for other things. He sent her for further tests but there was a long wait and to cut a long story short, an entire year went by with her believing she would die of heart failure that year (he’d told her that he was surprised she could still walk and breathe easily given the extent of the damage to her heart). After every test in the book and her demanding to know why she’d never been told, the NHS sent her a formal apology and said she’d ended up with another persons details in her notes. There is no else one in the world with her full name, it’s completely unique. The person she was mixed up with was a man. She’d never had a heart attack, she wasn’t in heart failure and she could have been living her life as normal. She’s never quite got over it.

Surely there will be other records somewhere which will show who operated on you. A surgeon’s list from the day?

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