Patient wins suit against Gleneagles Hospital

Private investor Li Siu Lun, 54, who had an additional procedure performed on him during a surgery without his consent in 2006, was finally vindicated today after the High Court entered a judgment against Gleneagles Hospital.

Mr Li, a Hong Kong resident, had consulted hand surgeon Dr Looi Kok Poh from Gleneagles Hospital for a tenolysis operation on his right wrist.

It was meant to separate fused tendons to improve mobility of the fingers.

Mr Li had signed a consent form for the surgery for "Tenolysis Right Wrist" but not an "Ulnar Neurolysis and Repair" - a surgical procedure of re-attaching severed nerves - which was performed on him.

This only came to light after the condition of Mr Li's right hand deteriorated and he sought the second opinion of a specialist in London, who told him that two surgeries had been performed on his right hand.

He subsequently requested from the hospital his medical records and saw the addition of "ulnar neurolysis and repair" on his patient consent form.

Realising the form had been altered, he asked to see the original consent form but was unable to get an appointment to see Dr Looi.

According to court documents, the hospital had already known, through its internal inquiry in August 2007, that the consent form had been doctored, but supplied Mr Li with a copy any way.

Today, the court entered a judgment against Gleneagles Hospital and deemed it liable to Mr Li for supplying the altered form to him on Sept 12, 2007.

Mr Li's damages and costs awarded to him by both the doctor and the hospital are being assessed.

ORIGINAL SOURCE

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