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Journalism of Courage
An Australian court,hearing the case of Indian-American doctor Jayant Patel,was on Wednesday told that the surgeon accidentally tore a patient’s oesophagus and nicked his jugular vein during a major operation.
Emma Igras,another doctor who was assisting Patel at the time of operation,said she noted on James Edward Phillips’ hospital chart that the oesophagus was “inadvertently torn” during the procedure at Bundaberg Base Hospital in May 2003.
The Brisbane Supreme Court was told yesterday that Patel (60) also cut 46-year-old Phillips’ jugular vein,causing blood loss that required four bags of intravenous fluids.
Igras said the torn oesophagus was “not part of the planned operation” to remove part of Phillips’ oesophagus.
However,she said she could not comment on whether it affected the outcome of the procedure.
Under cross-examination,Igras agreed the oesophagus is a delicate organ,but said that her “extremely limited” experience with oesophagectomies precluded her from saying whether it was common for them to be torn during these procedures.
Patel has pleaded not guilty to the manslaughter of Phillips,who died two days after the operation.
