Albury doctor apologises to late man's family after botched surgery

Dr Liu-Ming Schmidt undertook bowel surgery on William Edmunds, 79, at Albury hospital on November 7, 2019.

Issues with the surgery - which an Albury coronial inquest heard had involved the wrong part of his bowel being identified and sewn - weren't recognised until eight days later, with a further three surgeries required.

Mr Edmunds, who had several underlying health issues, died on December 2, 2019.

Dr Schmidt, who gave evidence at the coronial inquest at Albury on Thursday, apologised to his adult children, Sue and Wade Edmunds.

"I would again like to apologise to the family, Sue and Wade," she said.

"I am very sorry.

"A surgical error did occur on the 7th of November.

"And again, I'm very, very sorry it's happened."

Dr Schmidt, who has been suspended from practising at Albury Wodonga Health but can still work at other sites, said Mr Edmunds had been very sick when he arrived at the hospital hours before the operation.

"He was in extremis and didn't think he was going to survive," she said.

She said he was in septic shock and had peritonitis.

"He was extremely sick to begin with."

She said her priority was to get him into theatre "as soon as possible".

"I expected the worst," Dr Schmidt said, noting the late man had been on antibiotics for the previous 10 days.

She performed what's known as a Hartmann's procedure, and said her aim was to perform it as quickly as possible given how sick Mr Edmunds was.

She described it as a "quick, damage control operation".

The surgery usually involves removing part of the bowel and sealing it, and a colostomy bag being installed.

She used a stapler to close the bowel.

The inquest has heard that occurred at the wrong end.

She was asked if it was an error that could be avoided.

"I don't know how to answer this question," Dr Schmidt said.

"I admitted a surgical error has been made.

"I'm very sorry it has happened.

"I'm still reflecting over the last three-and-a-half years why it has happened.

"I did make that error."

She said "I don't know how it would have happened."

Dr Schmidt said her limited experience with the procedure had contributed, having only done it once before.

Questions were raised at the inquest about a lack of assistance.

Wade Edmunds told the inquest he never received a call from Dr Schmidt about what had gone wrong with his father.

When it was put to him that the doctor had called, spoken to him, or left a message, he repeatedly replied "no" and "definitely not".

"I didn't speak to her," he said.

A nurse told the inquest on Wednesday that Dr Schmidt had spoken to Mr Edmunds about the need for another surgery on November 15.

While she hadn't heard the entire conversation, she didn't hear any mention of a surgical error.

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"I didn't think she had told him about the error that had occurred," she said.

She was so concerned, she wrote a note stating "open disclosure did not occur at this time in my opinion".

Professor David Tuxen, who was at the time the most senior doctor in the Albury intensive care unit, said Mr Edmunds' lack of recovery wasn't being acted upon after the first surgery.

He became involved in his care four days after the operation.

He said in hindsight, a CT scan should have been ordered earlier after his condition failed to improve post surgery.

"It was being addressed, but not acted upon," he said of issues with Mr Edmunds' lack of recovery.

The inquest continues.

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