World boxing champion Danny Green alleges his serious medical condition was initially missed by a staff member at Busselton Hospital, who told him to go home despite the pain he was suffering.
Speaking from hospital today, a wheelchair-bound Green Machine said he had been on holiday down south when he realised there was something wrong.
He went to Busselton Hospital suffering pain in his abdomen, but alleged a staff member examined him and then turned him away, saying his condition was not serious.
Danny Green (left) ... misdiagnosed for a serious health complaint. Photo: Getty Images
The boxer later went to another medical professional in Yallingup, who recognised that his condition, which turned out to be an abscess on his appendix which needed removal, was serious and sent him to hospital in Perth.
"I hope that lady realises the mistake that she made," Green claimed.
"I just got turned away from Busselton Hospital with severe abdominal cramps. Unfortunately she misdiagnosed someone in there horrifically, so I hope she realises she made a massive mistake, a massive mistake and I hope she doesn't make it again for some other patients because it could have been life-threatening.''
The hospital released a statement saying that the patient had left before an assessment could be completed, Channel Ten reported.
Green - who had been in Yallingup since December 23 on a family holiday - wouldn't delve into the specifics about what transpired at Busselton and hoped the doctor would be spoken to by medical authorities.
"It was fairly negligent on her behalf, fairly ignorant," he said. "(But) it's history. Hopefully she'll get a letter and someone will talk about her decision-making process and hopefully it doesn't happen to someone else in the future."
Green is still recovering after having surgery on Wednesday night to remove the abscess. It is not known when he will be discharged.
He was looking pale and gaunt in a hospital gown as he was ushered into a waiting room at St John of God Hospital in Murdoch in a wheelchair.
Machines and tubes were connected to him, and he could only speak near a powerpoint so the machines could fully function.
Normally a proficient performer in front of the media, today a weakened Green appeared overawed by the glare of the cameras.
"I'm feeling a bit bizarre at the moment ... it's a strange press conference to be having," he quipped before detailing his journey from hell.
The 37-year-old was taken to Hollywood Hospital on New Year's Eve but it took days of testing to determine that a large abscess had formed around his appendix.
He revealed the problem had been ongoing for seven to eight years but they couldn't work out what it was. He was also told his appendix could have burst some time ago.
"Wednesday night they cut it (the abscess) out," he said. "The abscess filled my pelvic region and took my appendix out as well.
"It's pretty painful, like nothing I've ever had before.
"It was just ridiculous pain. The pain was like 11/10 and I've got a pretty good pain threshold. I can handle pain ... but this was just ridiculous."
Green said this was the 10th time - and "by far the worst case" - he had been admitted to hospital because of this hitherto mystery ailment.
Although he described the past week as a "harrowing experience", Green was grateful he was already in hospital when the doctors decided to operate on him.
"If I had been out in the middle of the ocean or been out in the bush, and the abscess had actually burst, then it could have been a different story," he said.
"So I was just very lucky I was in hospital."
Green successfully defended his IBO cruiserweight title belt with an unanimous points decision win over young American BJ Flores late last year.
The Green Machine said he had been planning a fight for April, but "that's obviously impossible now".
He was tight-lipped about the venue for the fight but he still maintained a sense of humour when asked how much weight he had lost.
"I'm sure there will be a fair few ladies out there asking me for tips," he laughed.
A spokesman for the WA Country Health Service confirmed Green went to Busselton Hospital but couldn't comment further due to patient confidentiality.
"Mr Green did present at Busselton Hospital, however, he left before a thorough medical assessment could be completed," he said.
