Dr Charlie Teo hearing details couple’s ‘desperate’ cancer fight
A medical hearing reviewing Sydney neurosurgeon Dr Charlie Teo’s conduct has heard from a man whose wife was diagnosed with a life threatening brain tumour, who alleged Dr Teo told them she could live to see her son grow up.
NSW
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A devastated man has told an inquiry into Dr Charlie Teo’s conduct that his wife chose to undergo brain surgery with the neurosurgeon after he told her she could live to see her six-year-old son’s 18th birthday.
Dr Teo faced the first day hearing before a four-person Professional Standards Committee on allegations of “unsatisfactory professional conduct” on Monday, where the husband of one of Mr Teo’s late patients - who suffered from a glioblastoma - said while the surgeon did not offer a cure, he “gave a lot of hope”.
The tribunal heard that two other doctors had refused to operate on the woman’s fast growing and aggressive tumour, due to the fact it was located in the brain stem, however one noted that it could be a possibility down the track.
The tribunal heard Perth neurosurgeon Professor Christopher Lind told the woman and her husband that surgery would be “futile” and have “no benefit”.
However, having heard about Dr Teo’s success in the past, the couple from Western Australia travelled to Sydney in October 2018 for a consultation with Dr Teo.
The woman’s husband told the tribunal they were told there was a “50 per cent chance she could be left with wonky eyes, double vision, one eye closed, tingling down one side of body” if he operated on the tumour.
“He was very clear she would be lucky to make it past six months (without surgery) and resection could extend her life expectancy to two years or even more,” the man said.
He said that while he was apprehensive about the resection surgery, his wife was “desperate” and wanted to go ahead with it.
The tribunal heard Dr Teo did explain the seriousness of the surgery, given the location of the tumour near her brain stem, but that death or paralysis was only a “five per cent chance.”
The woman had surgery the following day, as Dr Teo was set to travel to India that week.
“You understood that there was an option for you to have it sooner rather than later or on his return from India,” Teo’s lawyer Matthew Hutchings asked the man.
“It didn’t seem like an option due to the seriousness. It was assumed if he went to India, with the time and aggressiveness, the possibility of surgery would have changed dramatically,” the man replied.
The tribunal heard she remained in ICU on a ventilator for the following three weeks following the surgery.
The man told the tribunal Dr Teo said he thought the surgery “went well”, but that he “did not know the line” and he left 5cm of the tumour near her brain stem.
“He (Teo) said it (the cancer) had taken more of her brain then he had first thought,” the man said.
“There was no science… it was guesswork, he had no idea how far the tentacles (of the cancer) had spread.”
The woman was medically transferred back to Western Australia to be closer to family following the surgery, where her husband met with staff at St John of God Hospital regarding his expectations of the care of his wife.
Notes from the meeting read out to the tribunal stated: “(The man) reports he was made aware of the risks of the brain surgery however believed the result of coma or death was low - around five per cent”.
He argued however that he was never made aware that coma was a possibility by Dr Teo.
The woman died in April 2019, the circumstances were not put before the tribunal on Monday.
At the commencement of the hearing, Kate Richardson SC, said the the Health Care Complaints Commission was seeking a reprimand and conditions placed on Teo’s practising certificate.
Dr Teo first came under intense scrutiny following complaints from other surgeons. In October 2022, conditions were placed on his licence where he could only perform certain operations after it had been signed off on by another neurosurgeon.
His accreditation at Prince of Wales Private Hospital was withdrawn in 2021.
Over the past two years the controversial doctor has defended his actions after families of some patients went public accusing Dr Teo of giving false hope and demanding cash payments upfront before operating.
However, dozens of Dr Teo’s supporters said the case against him was “ridiculous”, crediting their lives, or lives of their family members to Dr Teo.
Former Australian cricket captain Steve Waugh and his wife Lynette were present at the hearing on Monday to support their long-time friend, who removed a large blood clot from Mrs Waugh’s brain in 2006.
““He’s done an amazing job – over 11,000 operations. He takes some of the tough cases no one else wants to,” Mr Waugh said.
Former cricketer Gavin Robertson and boxer Anthony Mundine were also present to support the surgeon.
Mr Mundine said he was “ride or die” for Dr Teo, and said his longtime friend had suffered emotional and mental anguish following the allegations against him.
“This has taken a toll on him,” he said.
“But look how many people are here for him, he is obviously a lifesaver who is well-respected.”
Addressing his friends and patients, Dr Teo, who arrived at the hearing with his girlfriend Traci, said he hoped “due process will be followed.”
“It’s been a long road. It’s sad that we’re in this situation,” he said.
“I’d much rather be operating on Monday than doing this.
“I’m really sorry to all those patients suffering from brain cancer and brain tumours.
“The truth lies between what you’ve heard and what I’m going to say.”
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