On 29 September 2010, Mrs Justice Macur, sitting in the High Court, ruled that a 69 year old woman, referred to as “D”, will be put under a general anaesthetic for six days, before undergoing an unwanted hysterectomy. D has refused to consent to the procedure after she was diagnosed with a prolapsed uterus. At fi rst glance, a hysterectomy might seem an overly invasive measure, however, the judge agreed that D’s condition was suffi ciently serious to justify surgery and, if left unaddressed, the consequences could be fatal. This case has followed on from the decision in DH NHS Foundation Trust v PS (see article in our July 2010 Medical Update), where a cancer patient, who lacked capacity under the Mental Capacity Act 2005, was compelled to have unwanted surgery despite her phobias of hospitals and needles.