A teenager had to undergo surgery to remove one of his testicles as a result of an alleged misdiagnosis by a general practitioner, according to testimony at a hearing.
The incident, along with another case, is under investigation by the Medical Council, involving Dr. Alicia Marton Martinez who worked as a locum GP at SouthDoc, an out-of-hours GP service, three years ago.
Dr. Marton Martinez faces allegations of professional misconduct and substandard care in her treatment of a 14-year-old boy and a three-week-old infant. The boy’s mother recounted that her son woke up one morning with a swollen testicle, experiencing significant pain and discomfort.
After conducting online research on his symptoms, she suspected testicular torsion and sought medical help. Testicular torsion involves a critical situation where blood flow to the testicle is compromised.
The mother contacted SouthDoc and was advised by Dr. Marton Martinez over the phone that her son’s condition was considered “normal for a teenage boy.”
The doctor recommended using a cold compress and ibuprofen three times a day for a week. The mother described the GP as being brisk and impatient during the conversation.
Following a brief examination at the clinic, Dr. Marton Martinez reiterated the same advice, as reported by the Irish Mirror. A week later, the boy, while his mother was away, was referred to Cork University Hospital due to severe pain and ultimately had one testicle removed.
An expert witness, Professor Tom O’Dowd, stated that an immediate referral to the emergency department could have saved the boy’s testicle with a 90% chance of success.
He criticized the treatment as “incompetent practice” and suggested that using a cold compress likely worsened the boy’s pain and discomfort.
In a separate incident, the inquiry heard from the father of a three-week-old baby who exhibited symptoms of fever, mottled skin, and slow feeding. Dr. Marton Martinez initially downplayed the severity of the symptoms, questioning if the baby had been given Calpol.
Upon realizing that infants under two months should not receive the medication, the GP acknowledged the mistake. The concerned father then requested to consult another doctor.
Another GP, Dr. Anas Matar, promptly referred the baby to the hospital, where the infant was diagnosed with viral meningitis and required several days of medical care.
Professor O’Dowd condemned the situation, stating that the baby was close to circulatory collapse and criticized Dr. Marton Martinez for bringing dishonor to the medical profession and failing the patients.
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