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Politics : A US National Health Care System? -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: skinowski who wrote (13553)	2/24/2010 6:23:34 PM
From: average joe	Respond to of 42652

Doctor stops surgery after mastectomy errors Operations performed on 2 women who did not have cancer Wednesday, February 24, 2010 \| 5:29 PM A Windsor, Ont., hospital says a surgeon who "tragically harmed" a woman by removing her breast when the patient didn't have cancer has stopped performing surgeries. Hôtel-Dieu Grace Hospital said Dr. Barbara Heartwell performed a mastectomy on Janice Laporte of Sarnia in 2001. A report later revealed the woman did not need the surgery. The hospital has scheduled a news conference for Wednesday afternoon. Laporte's case is the second to come to light in less than a week. Laurie Johnston, 44, of Leamington, underwent a mastectomy at the hands of Heartwell in November 2009. It was only in a followup appointment that Heartwell told Johnston she had never had cancer. The hospital revealed Heartwell had misread the initial pathology report. 'A breast is a part of a woman, it's part of your identity.' — Janice Laporte Hospital administration was alerted to the error after being contacted by local media. It immediately launched an investigation and a review of Heartwell's mastectomy files. In a statement released Tuesday, the hospital said it had received detailed information about another incident in which a patient was "tragically harmed." When Laporte heard there was another woman who underwent an unnecessary mastectomy by the same surgeon, she said she decided to go public with her story. "I was very devastated, because I went through everything all over again, I cried," Laporte told CBC News. Janice Laporte receved a mastectomy in 2001 but a report later revealed she did not need the surgery. (CBC) "I can't sit back. They have to know this is not the first time." 'All I heard was that I didn't have cancer' In August 2001, Laporte's family doctor sent her for an ultrasound of a lump in her breast that Laporte said she'd had for years. She was later referred to Heartwell. "There was a biopsy done at Windsor Regional Hospital, which was inconclusive," said Laporte. Laporte said one week after the surgery, she was called back to Heartwell's office, where she said the doctor told her there was both good news and bad news. "She said: 'The good news is you don't have cancer,' " Laporte said Wednesday. "And I said: 'Well, what's the bad news?' She said: 'I just did a mastectomy on a woman who didn't need it.' " Laporte said she initially felt sorry for her doctor, who she said began to cry after breaking the news that the mastectomy had been performed in error. "All I heard was that I didn't have cancer, and nothing else mattered to me at that point." Laporte said it was only after she left Heartwell's office that she began to question what had happened. She and her husband later sued Heartwell for $600,000 plus legal costs and whatever damages a court might deem justified. "A breast is a part of a woman, it's part of your identity," said Laporte. The lawsuit was settled, and both parties entered into a confidentiality agreement. Surgeon has 28 years of experience "In discussion with Dr. Heartwell and given the fact that another sentinel event has occurred, in the best interest of our patients, Dr. Heartwell has volunteered to temporarily withdraw from performing surgery pending the outcome of the hospital's investigation," said the hospital's interim chief of staff, Dr. Kevin Tracey. Heartwell performed at least three surgeries Tuesday after returning from vacation, reported the Windsor Star. Hospital officials disclosed few details of the case involving Laporte. "The hospital is deeply troubled by these incidents and is firmly resolved to fully investigate and take whatever measures are required," stated Warren Chant, hospital CEO. Hospital spokeswoman Kim Spirou said Heartwell is a surgeon with 28 years of experience and who, until recently, had a spotless record. cbc.ca