Great Ormond Street Hospital (Gosh) is conducting a review of over 700 patients after a "rogue" surgeon allegedly left children with life-changing injuries following a series of "unnecessary" operations.
Of 39 cases reviewed so far, 22 children were found to have been harmed, with 13 receiving potentially life-long injuries.
Yaser Jabbar, a reported "expert" in limb reconstruction surgery, had his UK medical licence revoked in January after concerns were raised - and is now working in Dubai.
He is alleged to have carried out an unknown number of unnecessary and harmful surgeries on children as young as four-months old.
Yaser Jabbar, who once worked at Gosh, has fled the UK for Dubai
GREAT ORMOND STREET HOSPITAL
The unnecessary surgeries have left some children with different leg lengths, some by as much as 20cm. Further injuries include nerve injuries and muscle damage.
One child had a leg amputated after a procedure carried out by Jabbar, another is facing the threat of amputation.
The review, first reported by the Sunday Times, said it had seen a confidential report by the Royal College of Surgeons (RCS) which was critical of the wider culture at Gosh, accusing the hospital of being operated like a "political organisation".
A leaked copy of the RCS report, seen by the newspaper, is said to have found Jabbar to have exhibited “unacceptable and unprofessional behaviour”.
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Jabbar is said to have exhibited “unacceptable and unprofessional behaviour”
CMC HOSPITAL
It found that a leg lengthening and straightening surgery conducted by Jabbar on a six-year-old boy was “incorrect and unsuitable”.
It is understood the surgery involved surgically breaking the bone, then inserting metal rings, known as Ilizarov frames, and tension wires to hold the leg in place.
The boy’s parent’s “feared something was wrong” when a different frame was used in the operation, but when they raised concerns with the doctor, he was “very dismissive”.
After a couple of days, the boy’s father told the Times: “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.
“We tried to raise our concerns repeatedly through the official complaints procedure and I copied the clinical director into many emails, but heard nothing back.”
The child was left in “terrible pain” following the procedure and has had to have several operations to correct the botched surgery.
Jabbar left Gosh after an 11-month sabbatical on full pay after concerns were raised about his behaviour, which further included being aggressive towards colleagues.
A spokesperson for the hospital said it was committed to “learning from every single patient that we treat, and to being open and transparent with our families when care falls below the high standards we strive for".
They added: “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."
After losing his licence in the UK, Jabbar continues to operate in Dubai
GETTY
After losing his licence in the UK, Jabbar has found work as a consultant at Orthocure and continues to operate at the Clemenceau Medical Center, both in Dubai.
In May, he spoke at a conference on the role of AI in medication. On his social media, he claimed: “Healthcare is in crisis almost universally and presents unique challenges for the personnel journey.
“Hopefully, by sharing the experiences of myself and others we can have a small but profound impact, starting in a region that still has so much to offer.
"Let's not repeat the mistakes of others, but learn and forge a new way”
He was due to speak at the MENA International Orthopaedics Congress which advertised his “wealth of experience”, however, the talk has been cancelled following the publication of the concerns about his behaviour.
