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It was supposed to be a routine day procedure. Instead, Melbourne grandmother Debra Buchanan woke to discover she had undergone surgery she had never consented to, after apparently being mistaken for another patient with the same first name.<\/p>\n
The 69-year-old says doctors removed parts of her vulva and genital region performing the wrong procedure at the Joan Kirner Women\u2019s and Children\u2019s Hospital in St Albans, an extension of Sunshine Hospital operated by Western Health.<\/p>\n
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Debra Buchanan and her husband, Alex.A Current Affair<\/p>\n
She was meant to undergo surgery to remove a small cancerous lesion on her pelvic area in January.<\/p>\n
Buchanan said she was seated beside another patient with the same first name in the pre-operative area.<\/p>\n
She said that when hospital staff called out her name, both women responded, but she was reassured she was the intended patient and taken into theatre.<\/p>\n
Editor’s pick \u201cThey called Debra, and I said, \u2018Did you mean Buchanan?\u2019 And they said, \u2018Oh yes, you\u2019ll do\u2019, and the woman next to me said, \u2018I\u2019m Debra\u2019, and they said, \u2018Oh, now we\u2019ve got the right one\u2019, and took me down to theatre,\u201d she told A Current Affair.<\/p>\n As a former dental nurse, Buchanan said she found it unusual that staff only used a first name, but like millions of patients every day, she placed her trust in the medical team. When she woke from the anaesthetic, she knew something was wrong.<\/p>\n \u201cI stood up, walked over to the bathroom door and I haemorrhaged everywhere,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n Buchanan said a nurse reassured her it was part of the operation, but she was confused.<\/p>\n \u201cI said, \u2018What operation? I had it here\u2019 \u2013 and as I touched it, it [the cancerous lesion] was still there.\u201d<\/p>\n She said she was later told she had undergone a VIN vulval wide local excision, a procedure to remove abnormal tissue from the vulva.<\/p>\n The surgery removed her labia minora, hymen and internal vaginal skin, despite it not being the procedure she was scheduled to have.<\/p>\n Buchanan\u2019s husband, Alex, said the couple were devastated when they realised what had happened.<\/p>\n \u201c[The surgeon] just scrubbed up, walked in, operated, and walked out,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n The couple claim hospital staff later confirmed the mix-up after reviewing Buchanan\u2019s referral paperwork, blaming the error on two patients having the same first name and understaffing issues.<\/p>\n This masthead is not suggesting the allegation is true, only that it is Buchanan\u2019s claim on how she was subjected to the incorrect operation.<\/p>\n Buchanan said she was discharged without adequate post-operative support, leaving her husband to search online for advice on caring for her wounds.<\/p>\n Six months later, she said she was still living with the consequences.<\/p>\n \u201cIt was pulled so tight with stitches, it always feels like it\u2019s going to tear,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n \u2018You can\u2019t make a mistake on a person. It\u2019s not like breaking a cup \u2013 it\u2019s someone\u2019s life.\u2019<\/p>\n Debra Buchanan<\/p>\n She said the pain had affected every part of her life, from walking and sitting to spending time with friends and her husband.<\/p>\n \u201cIntimacy is one thing \u2013 there is none,\u201d she said. \u201cI\u2019m anxious. I\u2019ve lost my confidence.\u201d<\/p>\n Buchanan says she has withdrawn socially and is still struggling to understand why the mistake happened, including what happened to the other patient involved.<\/p>\n The surgery she originally needed still had to be completed, forcing her to return to the same hospital, which she said was \u201chorrific\u201d.<\/p>\n The grandmother of seven has now engaged Carbone Lawyers to sue Western Health and is calling for an independent investigation.<\/p>\n Lawyer Erin Monsalve Fear said Buchanan\u2019s case was one of the most serious instances of apparent medical negligence she had encountered.<\/p>\n \u201cThe fact that she was never consulted nor consented appropriately for the surgery prior to it taking place, that\u2019s one of the biggest things this boils down to,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n Western Health chief operating officer John Ferraro declined to comment specifically on Buchanan\u2019s case but said patient safety was the organisation\u2019s top priority.<\/p>\n \u201cWhere a patient adverse event has occurred, we provide an apology, meet with the patient, undertake a review of the incident, and share the findings and actions taken to help prevent a recurrence,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cWe are committed to open and transparent communication with patients throughout this process.\u201d<\/p>\n Buchanan said she was sharing her story because she wanted to ensure no patient ever experiences what she did.<\/p>\n \u201cI know a lot of people are too frightened to talk sometimes,\u201d she said. \u201cWell, I\u2019m not. I need to get it out there so it doesn\u2019t happen to anyone else. You can\u2019t make a mistake on a person. It\u2019s not like breaking a cup \u2013 it\u2019s someone\u2019s life.\u201d<\/p>\n Start the day with a summary of the day\u2019s most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter<\/a>.<\/p>\n Save<\/p>\n You have reached your maximum number of saved items.<\/p>\n![\"Reimagining](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/bbdb75db1fec9795816be05172188b0e61c873c8.jpeg\")
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The Buchanans say they were devastated when they realised what had happened.A Current Affair<\/p>\n