Great Ormond Street Hospital launches major investigation after 721 children were treated by a ’rogue surgeon’
An investigation is ongoing at Great Ormond Street Hospital after parents of young patients who were treated by the same surgeon raised concerns over their children’s health
A "rogue" surgeon who treated 721 children at Great Ormond Street Hospital left some young patients with deformities and life-changing injuries, it has been claimed.
An investigation by The Sunday Times claimed that patients suffered life-changing injuries including amputations, permanent deformities and chronic pain. Among the patients harmed there were at least 22 children who underwent limb reconstruction surgery, according to the newspaper, with 13 of those cases classed as severe and one alleged victim was just four months old.
The father of a six-year-old child treated by the consultant surgeon said his kid suffered "terrible pain" after the boy underwent lower limb reconstruction - a procedure which involves surgically breaking the bone, then inserting metal rings, known as Ilizarov frames, and tension wires to hold the leg in place. In the following months, the break is slowly widened to allow new bone to develop and fill the gap.
But the boy’s dad, who asked not to be named, said he had a feeling that something was wrong because the frame used during the operation was a different one - which he said "seemed strange". He told The Sunday Times: "After a couple of days the frame became loose and my child was in a lot of pain. You could feel the bone in his leg, which felt out of position, like it wasn’t lined up and was protruding the wrong way."
He said that after raising the issue with the doctor - who stepped down from the hospital last year - the surgeon was "dismissive" and "said it was fine". The concerned parent said that despite raising concerns through the hospital’s official complaints procedure, the family "heard nothing back".
He also claimed that when the renowned hospital first looked into the issue, he felt as though "everything was being brushed under the carpet", which he said was "upsetting". The newspaper reported that at least one child had a leg amputated because of complications following surgery by the doctor - and another child could face an amputation if surgeons at other hospitals can’t save the limb.
According to The Sunday Times, one of the children harmed was only four months old at the time of surgery. Parents of some of the doctor’s patients said their children have been left with legs at different lengths, with a difference of up to 20cm, while others are living in chronic pain, or with injuries including muscle damage, nerve injuries and permanent deformities.
Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH) confirmed an investigation is ongoing, apologised to the families affected and said it was making improvements. A spokesman for the hospital told The Sunday Times: "We will ensure that all the findings of this review are addressed at pace, and we will reflect on any wider learnings around our culture. We have contacted all patients and families who have been impacted and where harm has been identified, discussed their cases with them under our duty of candour. To all of them, we wish to convey our sincere apologies."
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