Cork Teen Undergoes Surgery Following Misdiagnosis by GP

A teenager from Cork had to undergo surgery to remove a testicle after a General Practitioner (GP) allegedly failed to diagnose a serious medical condition during an appointment. The inquiry into this case, held by the Medical Council, has raised significant concerns about the conduct of Dr. Alicia Marton Martinez, who worked as a locum GP for SouthDoc, an out-of-hours medical service in Cork and Kerry.

The inquiry revealed that Dr. Marton Martinez is facing multiple allegations of professional misconduct. Among the claims is the failure to diagnose a case of testicular torsion, a medical emergency that can lead to permanent damage if not treated promptly. The injury occurred on October 10, 2022, when the mother of the 14-year-old, referred to as Patient A, reported that her son was experiencing severe pain and swelling in the testicular area.

The mother testified that she suspected testicular torsion after researching the symptoms online. Despite her concerns, Dr. Marton Martinez advised the family over the phone that the symptoms were typical for a teenage boy. The mother expressed her desire for a physical examination, but the GP instructed her son to apply a cold compress and take Ibuprofen for a week.

Shortly after this consultation, the teenager was examined at the SouthDoc clinic in Midleton, where he received the same advice. The mother reported that the examination lasted only about two minutes. A week later, while she was abroad, she learned that her son had been referred to Cork University Hospital, where a testicle was surgically removed due to severe pain.

The inquiry also examined the case of a three-week-old baby, known as Patient B, who was reportedly misdiagnosed by Dr. Marton Martinez on November 12, 2022. The father of the infant described a distressing situation where his son displayed symptoms such as fever, irritability, and mottled skin. Despite the concerning signs, Dr. Marton Martinez downplayed the severity of the symptoms and suggested administering Calpol, despite the father’s insistence that the medication was inappropriate for a child under two months.

After expressing his lack of confidence in her diagnosis, the father requested a referral to another physician. Another GP, Dr. Anas Matar, later assessed the baby and recognized the urgency of his condition, providing an immediate referral to Cork University Hospital. The infant was subsequently diagnosed with viral meningitis and spent several days receiving treatment.

During the inquiry, expert witness Tom O’Dowd highlighted the critical failures in both cases. He noted that there was a 90% chance that Patient A’s testicle could have been salvaged had Dr. Marton Martinez referred him to an emergency department promptly. O’Dowd described the GP’s actions as “incompetent practice” and emphasized that testicular torsion is a well-known emergency in medical circles.

In her defense, Dr. Marton Martinez claimed that Patient A did not communicate the specific nature of his pain and asserted that she had a misunderstanding regarding the age of Patient B. She suggested that her proficiency in English affected her ability to interpret the symptoms accurately.

The inquiry continues to explore the implications of these cases, with serious questions raised about the standards of care provided by medical professionals. The medical community is watching closely, as the outcomes of this inquiry could have significant ramifications for the practice standards expected of GPs in similar settings.