Woman's life 'destroyed' when womb 'thrown in a bucket on the floor' after unscheduled hysterectomy

The inquiry centres on hysterectomies carried out on four women at Aut Even Private Hospital Kilkenny.

A Consultant gynaecologist Peter Van Geene is facing allegations of poor professional performance, in relation to the treatment of four women at Aut Even Private Hospital between 2009 and 2011.

The patients are alleged to have suffered serious complications after undergoing hysterectomies, in many cases requiring further treatment.

One patient, Helen Cruise, who has waived her right to anonymity, is giving evidence that she received treatment at Aut Even private hospital, under the National Treatment Purchase Fund, where public patients on a waiting list could be treated privately.

Mrs Cruise suffered a significant post-operative bleed following her hysterectomy, which necessitated a blood transfusion of six units of blood.

It is alleged that Dr Van Geene carried out the procedure in a manner that led to Mrs Cruise developing fluid on the lungs, requiring transfer to St Luke’s in Kilkenny.

Mrs Cruise told the inquiry that she had barely spoken to Dr Van Geene before the surgery to fix her incontinence, and that nobody told her what she was going down for.

She said that Dr Van Geene told her after the surgery that he had just thrown her womb in a bucket on the floor.

Mrs Cruise said that she was treated very badly at Aut Even Hospital.

The Irish Patients Association, which is attending the hearing, has said that it is vital that patients who feel they have a complaint to make feel empowered to do so.

Director Stephen McMahon has said that they are not alone.

"Reach out to people, and if you do feel that something wrong has happened, speak out. There are processes there such as http://www.healthcomplaints.ie," said Mr McMahon.