A Coimbra neurosurgeon has been boycotted by anaesthetists at his hospital for years due to the suspicious deaths of various patients – but only now have allegations led to a proper investigation.
Complaints about the way in which the specialist in brain tumors performed surgeries go back to ‘at least 2018’.
Said one of the health professionals behind complaints finally under appreciation: “People have been dying or left with very serious complications after operations to cerebral tumors at the Centro Hospitalar e Universitário de Coimbra (CHUC) as a result of negligence, on a weekly basis, without anyone (in a position of authority) doing anything”.
It appears to have taken a complaint presented by former euro MP Ana Gomes to the Attorney General Lucilia Gago herself – as well as to director of the PJ police Luís Neves – to start ‘shaking things up’.
Ms Gomes told Diário de Notícias: “I just made sure the case got to the authorities, without knowing any of the people involved, because I thought it was serious and needed investigation”.
Says the paper, other neurosurgeons at the hospital have lodged complaints alleging malpractice “but they (the doctors) ended up being removed from the brain tumor team”.
Written complaints about the surgeon’s methods go back to ‘at least 2018. “
They were sent to the hospital’s hierarchy, “from the clinical director to the administration, but nothing changed and the surgeon continued to operate”, writes DN.
Among complications cited is a case where a patient died, after the surgeon allegedly ‘inadvertently’ fused two vital arteries because he hadn’t been operating (as stipulated by the profession) with the use of a surgical microscope.
Stressed a hospital source: “There are young people with cerebral tumors operated at CHUC who die in unclear circumstances in the first few hours after surgery, with no explanations given to families”.
This is the second ‘medical horror story’ to have emerged in recent months. The first – back in October – concerned a baby born ‘without a face’ as a result of an obstetrician who appears to have misread routine ultrasound scans. A number of other ‘serious mistakes’ allegedly made by the same doctor then came to light.
Credit to Natasha Donn of the Portugal Resident
