A surgeon accused of making a mistake that led to the removal of a man’s testicle also botched operations on two other people within the space of a few hours, it is claimed.

An investigation was launched after a 62-year-old Barrow man, who was booked in for a routine procedure to remove swelling from his testicle, alleged that urological surgeon Ashutosh Jain, 55, made a blunder that meant he had to go back under the knife a day later to have it chopped off.

It has now been claimed that Mr Jain also made mistakes with two routine kidney operations, resulting in one patient developing sepsis and the other being rushed to hospital with kidney failure.

Jeff Parker, 75, and an unnamed woman, 62, from Barrow had their operations on the same day at Furness General Hospital in Cumbria in September 2015.

They both allege that Mr Jain failed to install a stent – a tube that helps urine pass – during the procedure, which are vital in certain surgeries due to the likelihood of post-operative swelling, which can cause a life-threatening blockage.

Furthermore, both patients deny accusations that they colluded to refuse a stent.

Mr Parker, who developed sepsis as a result of the surgery, said: ‘I just said “you what? Why on earth would I do that?”

‘I didn’t even see the other patient when I was in hospital, let alone know her name or come up with this ridiculous idea.

‘What would we have to gain from it?’

The Barrow woman added that she was discharged following the procedure but went to A&E complaining of pain three days later and was ‘rushed to theatre within 30 minutes of arriving with kidney failure’.

Mr Parker said he discovered what had happened after the operation when doctor Peter Duffy informed him that he was going into renal failure.

Mr Duffy wrote a book named Whistle in the Wind, which detailed allegations of medical negligence and raised concerns about Mr Jain and two other colleagues.

The UHMBT rejected Mr Duffy’s allegations against his former colleagues stating: ‘We continue to employ the two doctors referred to who are valued members of the trust.’

Mr Parker launched legal proceedings and received an out-of-court settlement from the University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation (UHMBT).

A report produced by Adrian Joyce, a former president of the British Association of Urological Surgeons, confirmed that ‘the failure to insert a stent led to… Mr Parker developing sepsis’.

Mr Jain continues to work at the trust.

Last week, a 62-year-old man claimed Mr Jain had taken him into theatre after diagnosing him with a hydrocele, a swelling that occurs when fluid collects in the thin sheath surrounding a testicle.

The patient woke up after the procedure to find a drain had been put in to remove more fluid.

He claims the drain was never checked or emptied, and 24 hours after the original procedure he was rushed back into theatre and woke up to find his right testicle had been removed.

Mr Jain carried out the first procedure and there is no suggestion the second doctor did anything wrong, with the testicle having to be removed due to infection.

The man, from Barrow, Cumbria, said: ‘I looked down and saw I was missing a testicle. I didn’t know what to say; I was just in shock. A consultant took me for an ultrasound and said ‘I’ve never seen such a bloody mess in my life’.’

In July, his complaint to the University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust was upgraded to a Serious Clinical Incident.

A Root Cause Analysis is due to be completed by the end of October.

UHMBT medical director Shahedal Bari said: ‘We are sincerely sorry to these patients for their experience, which falls below the standards we expect.

‘We are already carrying out a number of actions internally to ensure that all issues regarding the urology service, including those featured in the book by Mr Duffy, are dealt with appropriately and this case will feature as part of that investigation.

‘We would also expect this will feature as part of the external independent review announced this week by NHS England/Improvement.

‘We would be pleased to meet with the two patients and discuss any aspect of the care they received and in particular would want to discuss with them if there are any other aspects of their treatment that they would like us to review.’

Mr Jain has been contacted for further comment.

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