Young mum’s devastation after ‘doctor’s breast operation lies left her unable to feed her own baby’
Leanne Joseph, 25, had her milk ducts removed by Ian Paterson when there was no medical need, court hears
A YOUNG mother has told a court of her devastation at not being able to breastfeed her newborn daughter after a surgeon allegedly convinced her to have two "unnecessary operations".
Leanne Joseph said she was surrounded by new mothers naturally feeding their babies after the birth of her daughter in September 2008.
Two years earlier, she had opted for private treatment after noticing a discharge from her left breast and was told a scan had found pre-cancerous cells, prosecutors said.
After borrowing cash from her parents, she went under the knife for a procedure carried out at Little Aston Hospital, Birmingham, in October 2006, by top surgeon Ian Paterson.
He is now standing trial accused of unlawfully wounding nine women and one man in procedures he carried out between 1997 and 2011.
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Jurors have previously heard claims the consultant performed a series of completely unnecessary operations after "exaggerating or simply inventing" patients' risk of cancer.
His motive may have been a desire to "earn extra money", it was said.
Paterson told Mrs Joseph the removal of her milk ducts from both breasts - leaving her unable to breastfeed - would be a "small price to pay for her life", Nottingham crown court has heard.
But the prosecution claim a scan on her left breast had been "entirely normal" and that the procedures on both sides were "quite unnecessary".
Speaking about the impact of not being able to breastfeed, Mrs Joseph said: "I found it very hard because all the other mums in the hospital were breastfeeding and there were posters everywhere telling you that breast milk was the best thing for your child's immune system.
"Even comments from the midwives came about my child not benefiting from my milk."
The mother - aged 25 when she had the operations in 2006 - was left paranoid and developed obsessive compulsive disorder after giving birth to her daughter, who is now aged eight.
Jurors heard Mrs Joseph "was very concerned almost to the point of paranoia that (her daughter) was going to catch an illness" from husband of ten years Mark as a result of not feeding naturally.
She had earlier told the jury of the moment her diagnosis was given by Paterson.
She said: "He just told me that I would need an operation to have them (milk ducts) removed and that he could do it two days later.
"I was quite shocked, he told me that although the operation was quite straightforward I would not be able to breastfeed if I had any children but it was a small price to pay for my life."
Speaking about Paterson, she said: "He was lovely to me, he was really kind and held my hand.
"He just made me feel at ease and I remember thinking I was making a big fuss... in getting upset about the anaesthetic."
Yesterday the court heard Paterson cut into one woman's breast 27 times for no good reason, and also lied she needed a double mastectomy to prevent "full-blown cancer".
Paterson, of Greater Manchester, denies 20 counts of wounding with intent.
The trial continues.
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