Orthopaedist rebuked over performing bunion surgery without informed consent

he Medical Council also issued a gazetted warning letter over the doctor’s actions.

Photo: Karma Lo An orthopaedist has been issued a public warning letter and reprimanded by Hong Kong’s medical watchdog after performing an unconventional bunion surgery without a patient’s informed consent.

The Medical Council on Monday found Dr Daniel Wu Yiang guilty of professional misconduct on four charges after the patient at Hong Kong Adventist Hospital underwent a syndesmosis procedure, a soft-tissue bunion surgery advocated by the doctor, without sufficient information about the operation or any alternatives for treating her left foot.

The inquiry panel heard that the woman complained of left toe pain, swelling and a clawing deformity for months after her bunion surgery on November 20, 2018.

The council issued the gazetted warning letter and reprimanded the defendant for inconsistent descriptions in his paperwork and for providing incomplete information for the patient’s insurance form and fee note.

Wu is a registered orthopaedic and has been listed in the city’s Specialist Register for doctors since 1998.

The doctor founded the Centre for No-Bone-Breaking Bunion Surgery in Causeway Bay and specialises in syndesmosis procedure research.

The procedure is designed to induce the growth of a new ligament to replace “incompetent” ones that may cause a patient’s bunion deformity.

According to the centre’s website, Wu was born in Taiwan, trained in treating physical trauma and sports injuries, and was certified in orthopaedic surgery in Canada and the United States.

He has been practising in Hong Kong for more than 30 years.

The panel heard that the patient was only given a consent form to “hastily” sign before the operation, with Wu not being present.

The procedure on the consent form was listed as a syndesmosis procedure, but the patient said that no fact sheet was provided and that no alternative treatments were offered.

Panel chairman Professor Fok Tai-fai has highlighted that the defendant was not present to explain the details of the consent form to the patient.

Photo: Edmond So But the patient’s insurance claim form and the physician’s fee note, which was issued by the hospital, stated she had only undergone a modified McBride procedure, and failed to mention the syndesmosis procedure that was also performed.

During the operation, Wu drilled four 2mm holes in the patient’s foot bones, passing sutures through the holes and placing a mini-plate near the

原文链接: 南华早报