Suspended doctor 'performed needless prostate surgery'

The daughter of a former patient of Queensland surgeon Dr Anthony Vega Vega says her father may have suffered needlessly after going under the suspended doctor's knife.

Paula Smith told A Current Affair she believes her 82-year-old father John was misdiagnosed by the Rockhampton urologist and forced to undergo prostate surgery when his bowel was to blame for hi smedical problems.

"It starts to make some pieces fall into place, you know. I thought that was odd that he had these bowel symptoms afterwards, maybe there is a problem here, maybe there's something that hasn't been told to us," she said.

Ms Smith said her already-frail father must now undergo further invasive surgery.

"I was absolutely shocked, absolutely shocked, very concerned at what has happened to dad," Ms Smith said.

Dr Vega Vega voluntarily stepped down from his position at Rockhampton Hospital last week over allegations he removed the wrong kidney during an operation in January.

Mr Smith is now one of a number of patients to come forward fearing they too may have suffered complications at the hands of the foreign-trained specialist.

Since being stood down, Dr Vega Vega has been holed up in his sprawling home and has refused to comment on the investigation.

He will remain suspended until the Medical Board of Australia decides whether there is enough evidence to revoke his licence.

A decision is expected within days.

Source: A Current Affair

Author: Chloe Ross, Approving editor: Martin Zavan