Former Bundaberg surgeon Jayant Patel's decision to remove a patient's bowel was justified, a retired surgeon has told Patel's trial.
A former surgeon and visiting medical officer at the Bundaberg Base Hospital gave evidence during Patel's trial in the Brisbane District Court on Wednesday.
Patel is accused of unnecessarily removing the bowel and rectum of Bundaberg man Ian Vowles in 2004. Mr Vowles was 57-year-old at the time.
Under cross examination William Kingston said the operation performed by Patel was reasonable given Mr Vowles' recent history of colorectal cancer.
Mr Kingston said Mr Vowles previously had two major cancers removed from his bowel, in 1999 and 2003, and had developed a new moderate-sized precancerous tumour.
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"I would be very concerned for this man, if he was left, that he's going to go on and get further cancers and it's going to be very difficult to keep on top of them," he told the court.
A less drastic procedure including removing just the tumour would not have solved the problem of ongoing cancer, he said.
"I would be very scared for him ... that we would not be able to keep on top of it," he told the court.
Former Bundaberg Base Hospital surgeon Dr Sanjeeva Kariyawasam said he would have referred Mr Vowles to a specialist in Brisbane for a second opinion.
He agreed under cross examination a surgeon who was experienced enough could perform the operation without a second opinion.
Mr Vowles, 66, now needs a colostomy bag and suffers general health problems including fatigue and impotence, prosecutors said.
Patel has pleaded not guilty to grievous bodily harm.
The trial continues.
