721 children were treated by a ‘rogue surgeon’ at Great Ormond Street Hospital

08 September 2024 , 08:01

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The hospital has launched an investigation into the surgeon, who no longer works there (Picture: AFP)

A ‘rogue surgeon’ who treated 721 children left some youngsters with deformities and life-changing injuries, a report has alleged.

A consultant orthopaedic surgeon had worked for years at the Great Ormond Street Hospital which treats children suffering from serious illnesses.

But an investigation by The Sunday Times has claimed that at least 22 of their patients were harmed under their care.

Among them, according to the newspaper, one child had to have a leg amputated. Another may soon have to have a limb amputated.

Other patients were left with legs at different lengths, sometimes by as much as 20cm. Many live with chronic pain.

The youngest harmed was allegedly only four months old at the point of surgery.

Of 37 cases reviewed by hospital officials so far, 13 suffered ‘serious harm’, meaning their injuries may be lifelong.

Some children were allegedly left with legs of different lengths (Picture: AFP)

One father told The Sunday Times his son underwent a leg-straightening and lengthening procedure conducted by the surgeon at the hospital’s ‘lower limb reconstruction service in north London in 2021.

Leg lengthening surgery sees the child, asleep and under general anaesthesia, have their leg bone surgically broken and metal pins or screws inserted.

A metal frame, such as an Ilizarov, is attached to the screws in the bone and will for several months ‘crank’ the snapped bone apart. This creates an ever-growing gap between the ends of the cut bone, which heals to form new bone, lengthening the leg.

‘After a couple of days the frame became loose and my child was in a lot of pain,’ the father told The Sunday Times.

‘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.’

Sophie Walker