A doctor did not keep proper records and failed to monitor the amount of anaesthetics given to a patient who woke up during surgery, he admitted to the Medical Council yesterday. It was the second day of a disciplinary hearing against anaesthetist Dr Edmund Bernard Chan, who is charged with professional misconduct for failing to provide adequate anaesthesia and failing to take adequate steps to ensure the anaesthesia machine was functioning properly. The patient, Ms Y, told the first day of the hearing that when she woke, she heard people talking, felt an incision being made in her abdomen and that 'something was moving' there. She felt intense pain and could not move nor open her eyes. Ms Y had the surgery on August 26, 2006, at St Teresa's Hospital, Kowloon City, for ovarian bleeding and appendicitis. 'I heard people saying 'So much blood! Quickly take some pictures!' Then I fainted,' she said. She complained to the hospital and had a meeting with Chan on August 28 at which he said some people required extra anaesthetic, and that she should tell doctors she had had such an experience. Ms Y said she never had an official reply from the hospital and decided to report the case to the Medical Council. Chan told yesterday's hearing that a hospital investigation later found the anaesthesia machine had malfunctioned during the surgery. 'In retrospect, the patient did not need extra anaesthetic. The amount would be adequate if the machine had functioned properly,' he said. Asked why he did not explain that to the patient at the meeting, he said he was confused and did not want to tell the patient 'something I cannot be sure of'. He admitted he did not explain the real situation to the patient afterwards, and said he was told the hospital mailed an investigation report to the patient. Chan admitted he did not properly record the incident and the patient's condition. He also admitted that when the machine monitor failed to show the volume of drug administered, he did not act immediately. He had assumed the machine was working because it was locked in position and showing a green light. Chinese University anaesthesia expert Professor Matthew Chan Tak-vai told the hearing the doctor's mistake involved a 'blind spot' that might even trick very experienced doctors. He said he himself would not have done anything more when he saw the machine locked in position with a green light, and that Chan had done 90 per cent of the recommended checks before using the machine. The hearing was adjourned until the council's next meeting.