Bungling surgeon who removed a tear gland instead of brain tumour

A MOTHER of two had a tear gland removed instead of a brain tumour by a bungling surgeon who was under investigation.

Professor Sam Eljamel allegedly injured patients through botched surgeries but was allowed to continue operating, it is claimed.

The former clinical lead of neurosurgery at NHS Tayside was found to be harming patients by an external investigation in December 2013.

The mistreatment took place during crucial brain and spinal surgeries and in some cases he told patients of successful operations that never took place.

NHS Tayside was first warned of the bungled surgeries in June 2013 and said it took ‘immediate action’, placing him under supervision.

But one month later Eljamel removed patient Jules Rose’s entire tear gland instead of her brain tumour. She said: ‘I remember he had a big smile on his face and he said “99 per cent removed”.’

She later found her tumour was intact and he had removed her healthy tear gland, which meant she went under his knife for a second operation in December. She claims she was never told the surgeon was being investigated. Mrs Rose, 50, said: ‘It’s atrocious. For NHS Tayside to allow this surgeon, who had blatantly made a mistake the first time, to perform another operation is unthinkable.’

A review was conducted by the Royal College of Surgeons (RCS), and completed in December 2013. NHS Tayside said it acted ‘immediately’ in suspending him.

However, it is understood Eljamel was allowed to continue for a further four days – during which he performed Miss Rose’s second operation on December 9. The details were revealed last night in the BBC1 Scotland programme Harmed By My Surgeon. The programme also claims Eljamel was performing spinal surgery incorrectly, which led to patients having procedures on the wrong part of the spine.

An NHS Tayside report states Eljamel would ‘manually manipulate and count the spinal bones’ without using an X-ray, which is the usual practice.

It reveals he also taught junior surgeons to operate in this way, and they too harmed patients. Patients’ medical records were reviewed for the BBC by expert surgeon Donald Campbell. In two cases, he found Eljamel had debriefed patients about surgery that wasn’t done at all.

Mr Campbell said: ‘It was negligent. There’s no other description.’ He also claimed Eljamel ‘should not have been allowed’ to continue working once the health board decided to suspend him.

Facing complaints from at least 55 patients, Eljamel resigned from NHS Tayside. In August 2015, ahead of a fitness to practice hearing, he was allowed to voluntarily remove himself from the UK Medical Register. It meant that all complaints against him were dropped.

Patients now want an inquiry into the issue.

Eljamel’s lawyer told BBC Scotland that his client had ‘no comment to make’.

A spokesman for NHS Tayside said: ‘There has been much learning by the organisation immediately following these events.

‘We undertook a review of spinal cases performed by Professor Eljamel from 2010 to 2013 as recommended by the RCS. Any patient of concern was seen again by a consultant neurosurgeon.’

‘It was negligent’