A woman told the High Court yesterday she endured years of pain as a result of negligence by two Dublin hospitals and a gynaecologist.
Mrs Rose Quinn said she was eventually diagnosed in London as having pelvic inflammatory disease and had a hysterectomy.
Mrs Quinn (42), St Angus Park, Tallaght, Co Dublin, is suing the Adelaide Hospital, a representative of the Meath Hospital, and a gynaecologist, Dr Paul Bowman.
The mother of two claims the defendants failed to account for her previous medical history and failed to treat her in a proper and adequate manner.
In an action before Mr Justice Johnson, Mrs Quinn said the defendants failed to carry out correct, full and adequate tests on her.
She also submits that she should have undergone a laparoscopy to exclude pelvic inflammatory disease as the main cause or contributing to her symptoms.
Given evidence of previous pelvic inflammatory disease when she underwent an operation in 1988, Mrs Quinn contends there was a failure to investigate the presence of the disease as a contributory factor to her condition when she was treated and diagnosed between November 1987 and January 1988.
She claims the defendants did not exclude pelvic inflammatory disease as the main cause or a factor of her symptoms before the operation.
Throughout 1990 and until summer 1991, she endured vomiting, severe lower abdominal pain, recurring sweats, tiredness and fatigue and generally felt unwell, the court was told.
She was then referred to a London hospital where various investigations were carried out.
A total hysterectomy was suggested and performed. Her health had improved considerably since the hysterectomy, the court heard.
Mr Charles Meenan SC, for Mrs Quinn, said his client had an extremely difficult medical history, including conditions which had no association with the claim.
Her case was that before embarking on an invasive surgical procedure, certain tests should have been carried out, he added.
The hearing continues today.