Doctors line up in support of Qld surgeon

Doctors who worked alongside a Rockhampton surgeon accused of botching four operations have written statements in his defence.

Surgical equipment at a hospital

Colleagues of a Queensland doctor accused of botching four operations have written in his defence. (AAP)

Colleagues of a doctor accused of botching four operations in Queensland have written testimonials in his defence.

The Medical Board of Australia will meet on Wednesday to consider the future of urologist Antonio Vega Vega, who was stood down from Rockhampton Hospital in May.

The board suspended his registration when the cases came to light, but that suspension was lifted last week after the Spanish-trained surgeon gave an undertaking not to practise.

The future of any ongoing suspension will be considered by the medical board on Wednesday.

In a related hearing in the Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal on Tuesday, Dr Vega Vega's defence lawyer, Stephen Keim, said medical colleagues were lining up to support him.

Mr Keim said they included two expert urologists and five Rockhampton doctors, who would be providing statements for the medical board to consider.

Dr Vega Vega is alleged to have misdiagnosed a twisted testicle, causing it to be ultimately removed, took a patient's right kidney instead of the diseased left one, nicked another's artery, and wrongly positioned a stent.

Tribunal judge Alexander Horneman-Wren adjourned the case until Thursday and imposed a media suppression order on the naming of Dr Vega Vega's affected patients.


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