Woman felt 'like body on a table' after surgeries performed without consent

Catherine Shakespeare is expressing outrage after undergoing surgeries she claims were performed without her consent, significantly impacting her quality of life. She feels the NSW health regulator's response, which involved asking the surgeon to write a reflection letter on his "learnings," is insufficient.

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gobsmacked and furious

Shakespeare initially sought treatment from gynecologist Alan Lam in 2013 for uterine prolapse. While procedures were agreed upon to address the prolapse, Dr. Lam later informed her he had removed asymptomatic endometriosis, a procedure not initially discussed. Shakespeare later discovered two additional surgeries had been performed without her prior agreement: a posterior repair of her vaginal wall and a repair of her rectal walls.

These additional procedures left Shakespeare feeling extremely vulnerable and anxious, describing the experience as feeling "like a body on a table." She has since undergone over 20 general anesthetics, each time fearing what the next procedure might entail. The situation led to a "soul-destroying" recto-vaginal fistula, requiring further surgeries, including a period with a colostomy bag.

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He had also performed a posterior repair to my vaginal wall and also repair of my rectal walls. I never knew about it. It was not written on the invoice that I received.

Dr. Lam has denied Shakespeare's allegations, stating that all actions taken were explained to her and were based on clinical judgment balancing risks and benefits. He suggested potential complications might stem from a "suspected genetic predisposition to poor wound healing." However, Shakespeare insists the core issue remains that she never consented to these specific surgeries.

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I've felt extremely vulnerable, extremely anxious to the point of tears every time I get put under because I'm left there wondering what is the next doctor going to do to me

Following her complaint to the NSW Health Care Complaints Commission (HCCC) in October 2021, an expert peer review was critical of Dr. Lam's decision to perform the posterior repair and endometriosis excision without consent. Despite this, the HCCC's communication indicated a reflection letter was the chosen course of action.

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If you are in the shoe of doctors and surgeons, you will understand there are conditions and circumstances we find where we have to make a clinical judgement on the risk of harm versus benefits, and in the case of this lady, everything done was explained to this lady