Surgeon who accidentally removed baby’s bladder found guilty

March 3, 2010 by Shawn Douglas
Filed under: News

The surgeon who accidentally removed the bladder of a baby during surgery has been found guilty of misconduct by the General Medical Council.

Dr. Pierina Kapur, a consultant pediatric surgeon, was found guilty of professional misconduct by the General Medical Council (GMC) this week.

Dr. Kapur, 43, operated on Baby A in October 2008, after the seven-week-old baby was admitted for Manchester Children’s Hospital for hernia difficulties. Kapur was suppose to remove a hernial sac but, unable to recognize the anatomy, instead cut out nearly 90 percent of the baby’s bladder.

Unaware that she had removed the wrong tissues, she told the parents of Baby A that the operation was a “complete success” according to evidence presented to the GMC panel.

Shortly afterwards, the baby’s condition deteriorated after not being able to pass urine, forcing an emergency operation. It was only then that the mistake was realized.

GMC panel chairman Dr. Linda Buchanan questioned the choices Dr. Kapur made during the procedure, stating: “The panel notes that during surgery you stopped the procedure twice in order to re-orientate yourself and take stock of the situation. However, notwithstanding the problems you experienced during surgery you did not seek the help or opinion of a fellow consultant surgeon.”

“The panel has found that you did not take any adequate steps to arrange for an ultrasound scan of Baby A’s abdomen and urinary tract,” Buchanan added.

Baby A will most likely require the use of a catheter for the rest of her life and at an increase risk of cancer due to the procedure.

The parents of Baby A contacted the GMC “to ensure appropriate steps were taken to ensure public safety.”

“We feel that Miss Kapur has been made accountable for her actions,” the parents told the BBC.

“We respect the decision made by the GMC panel and do now believe that Miss Kapur is truly sorry for the pain and suffering she has caused our daughter. Without the hard work of the rest of the staff at Manchester Children’s Hospital, our daughter would not be here today.”

It is currently not known if Dr. Kapur will be struck from the U.K.’s medical register or if some other action will be taken.