A Canberra woman is suing her surgeon, claiming she almost bled to death during an operation at John James Hospital.
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The woman suffered "torrential bleeding" during an operation to remove her uterus, fallopian tubes and ovaries in 2009.
Court documents say she was given about six litres of blood during a life-saving procedure to repair a major vein.
The surgeon, Susanne Close, admitted the woman suffered a haemorrhage but denied the bleeding was caused by a cut to the vein or as a result of any breach of duty of care to the patient.
However, in documents filed in the ACT Supreme Court, the doctor admitted the major vein, called the left external iliac vein, should not have been cut in that type of operation. But the patient's lawyers, of Canberra firm Ken Cush and Associates, say Dr Close's admission in her defence that the vein should not have been damaged had proved their case of negligence.
The firm applied last month for the court to find in their client's favour.
The application relied on statements by vascular surgeon Stephen Bradshaw, who repaired the vein, and expert witness Professor Constantine Michael. Dr Bradshaw reported he discovered the patient's life-threatening bleeding was caused by a transection to the external iliac vein.
Dr Bradshaw said the vein would either have been damaged by cutting or clamping, not by the "manipulation of the blood vessels in the surgical field".
Professor Michael, after examining a number of medical reports and records, concluded the vein had been damaged by a "sharp dissection", which suggested it had not been "isolated adequately before cutting or clamping".
A Supreme Court judge ordered that the application for summary judgment in favour of the patient be heard in May.
Ken Cush and Associates first filed papers on behalf of the woman in 2011, which claimed damages for personal injury as a result of breach of contract and negligence.
The lawyers claimed the woman suffered injuries and disabilities as a result of the incident, including scarring, depression, pain, reduced earning capacity and reliance on others for care and assistance.
She claimed past and future economic loss through being unfit for full-time work, loss of superannuation entitlements and need for help with everyday living.
Court papers said Dr Close admitted the woman suffered a haemorrhage, but denied the bleeding was caused by the transection of the vein.