A prominent Durban gynaecologist is back in the hot seat - three years after being found guilty of unprofessional conduct.

In 2007, Dr Rajendran Pather received a suspended sentence from the Health Professions' Council of SA for failing to diagnose that the colon of a patient, Shirley Rayappen, was perforated. She died in October 2002.

Yesterday, Pather appeared before a committee of the council on a charge of unprofessional conduct following the death of another patient, Padmini Pillay, 43, in 2006.

Pather allegedly failed to timeously perform tests on Pillay, and to recognise the seriousness of her deteriorating condition, after he removed the lining of her uterus. Pillay's husband, Perumalsamy, yesterday told the committee that his wife told him in that June that she was going for a "minor operation" the next day. Pillay said she told him she would be in Chatsworth's Chatsmed Garden Hospital at "7am and out by 1pm".

He said that when he went to fetch her she was still in a general ward. "She was in pain. She said she was cramping and could not walk."

Pillay said Pather told him his wife needed rest and sent her home. A day later, when her pain worsened, Pillay took his wife back to the hospital. He said that two days later an ultra-sound scan prompted emergency surgery for an injured bowel.

Pillay said his wife slipped into a coma and died later that month of multiple organ failure. "I can't understand why Dr Pather waited so long to do an ultra sound to see what was wrong." The hearing resumes on December 7. - nairn@thetimes.co.za