Teenager died after surgeon “lost his temper”
BMJ 2001; 323 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.323.7326.1387 (Published 15 December 2001) Cite this as: BMJ 2001;323:1387
This article has a correction. Please see:
- Clare Dyer, legal correspondent
- BMJ
A consultant surgeon standing trial at Exeter crown court for the manslaughter of a teenage patient caused her death through negligence after losing his temper during the operation, the court was told last week.
Kenneth Woodburn, aged 39, of Idless, near Truro, Cornwall, pleaded not guilty to the manslaughter of 16 year old Kelly Dent at Treliske Hospital, Truro, in September 1998.
The teenager, who had acute myeloid leukaemia, was added to Mr Woodburn's operating list at short notice, after attempts by her own consultant to insert a Hickman line had failed.
“Sadly, what should have been a reasonably simple …
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