I was left to die

Three years ago I was admitted to St Luke's Hospital with tremendous chest pain. I felt I was dying. I underwent emergency tests and they diagnosed a spontaneous tear in the main artery of my body. I was referred to the cardiac surgeon on call. When he came to see me he said that the operation for this condition was too risky and that travel abroad was also futile. He told me in no uncertain terms that I was going to die soon of this condition. I made the necessary preparations to die. The cardiac surgeon on call saw no reason to seek a second opinion.

In desperation the next morning we sought the advice of Albert Fenech who immediately referred me to Alex Manché. Mr Manché told me that almost all patients die of this condition within one week if surgery is not performed. He insisted that I undergo surgery that same day. The surgery was successful and saved may life.

I have lived with the trauma of this horrible incident for these years and felt it was better to let sleeping dogs lie. However, the recent attacks on Mr Manché in the media and the statement in The Times (July 20) stating that Mr Manché was "doing the same work" as a colleague, has spurned me on to come out with the truth.

I am at a loss to explain why one cardiac surgeon gave me the wrong information and left me to die while another intervened so that I am now happily able to recount my tale. I leave it to the readers to make their own judgement as to whether Mr Manché and this particular colleague are "doing the same work".