Inquiry Into Medical Misconduct Continues

An inquiry into 38 medical misconduct allegations has been resumed in Dublin.

The investigation is into Dr Etop Akpan and the concerns over his care of a 29-year-old woman who died from cancer in April 2009.

The consultant gynaecologist at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital was reported to the Medical Council after Sharon McEneaney, from Drogheda was forced to wait 9 months for a scan.

Her concerned family sought political help from former TD and doctor Rory O'Hanlon, it was only then that a biopsy revealed the cause of her pain was in fact a cancerous tumour. She was sent to Beaumont Hospital for immediate treatment but died in April 2009.

JP McDowell, for the Medical Council, said yesterday the council sought to bring 41 allegations against Dr Akpan, who qualified in Nigeria in 1985, but three were withdrawn.

Ms McEneaney’s GP has described general communications between the hospital and his practice as “extremely unsatisfactory”.

"I’ve always felt this case was a systemic failure," Dr Corr said.

Case Background

In the opening statement Mr McDowell outlined the treatment that Ms McEneaney received.

The Irish Times reported that he said: "Ms McEneaney attended the emergency department at the hospital on October 2007 complaining of severe pain on her left side. She had an ultrasound scan and was referred to outpatients for follow up.

"Late in October, she returned to her GP, Dr Shane Corr, still complaining of pain and was sent again to the emergency department. Again she had a pelvic scan and was referred to outpatients.

"On November 7th, a third referral to the emergency department resulted in her admittance to the hospital."

Whilst in hospital she received a scan that revealed a mass, her case was reviewed by Dr Akpan. It is understood that he discharged her and suggested explorative surgery within two weeks.

According to Mr McDowell Ms McEneaney wasn’t admitted until December 19th. When the laparoscopy was performed, a large mass was found.

A specialist from the surgical team recommended a biopsy should not be carried out then due to the risk of bleeding, but a CT scan should be carried out and there should be a "radiologically guided" biopsy.

"It was also noted Ms McEneaney had been diagnosed at the hospital in 2004 as having neurofibromatosis, a condition that could lead to malignant tumour growth. A CT scan was carried out on January 24th, 2008, and Ms McEneaney returned to Dr Akpan on February 13th," added Mr McDowell. She was given another ultrasound on April 3rd, but no guided biopsy took place

In late May Ms McEneaney returned to her GP and he wrote to seek an update of her case. His letter said he had no idea what, if any, follow-up had been arranged for her.

"We are both totally in the dark," the GP’s letter said. His secretary also called Dr Akpan’s secretary, who told her Ms McEneaney’s chart was sitting on Dr Akpan’s desk with a note on it querying what to do next, Mr McDowell said.

He told the committee Dr O’Hanlon intervened in late June and Ms McEneaney got an appointment for July 2nd. A guided biopsy was carried out on July 14th and, on July 21st, her GP sought the results of the biopsy himself and was told the mass was malignant.

He personally contacted Dr Akpan, gave him the result and asked him to contact Ms McEneaney.

She was then referred to Beaumont Hospital in Dublin for treatment "commencing straight away", Mr McDowell said, but she died in April 2009.

(LB/BMcC)