Great Ormond Street Hospital Surgeon's Botched Operations Harmed 136 Children, Review Finds
A shocking report released by Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH) has revealed that orthopaedic surgeon Yaser Jabbar injured almost 136 children through botched operations during his tenure at the world-renowned London institution.
Severe Harm to Dozens of Young Patients
The comprehensive review, published on Thursday, concluded that 36 of Mr Jabbar's young victims suffered what has been classified as severe harm while under his care. The surgeon, who specialised in lower limb reconstruction, treated hundreds of children between 2017 and 2022, with his procedures leaving some patients with devastating consequences.
Among the most serious outcomes documented were children left with different leg lengths and some who even required amputation following his surgical interventions. The 43-year-old surgeon treated a total of 721 children at the prestigious London hospital, with the review highlighting a pattern of concerning outcomes across his caseload.
Grading of Harm Across Patient Cohort
The hospital's investigation meticulously categorised the extent of harm experienced by patients under Mr Jabbar's care:
- 36 patients experienced severe harm
- 39 patients came to moderate harm
- 19 patients experienced mild harm
While these figures paint a disturbing picture of surgical practice, the report also noted that 642 patients did not come to harm that could be directly attributed to the surgeon's actions. This distinction underscores the complex nature of assessing surgical outcomes while highlighting the significant number of children who suffered adverse consequences.
Surgeon's Current Status and Licensing
Mr Jabbar, who is understood to be living abroad, no longer holds a licence to practise medicine in the United Kingdom. This development follows the hospital's internal review process and raises serious questions about oversight mechanisms within elite medical institutions.
The case has sent shockwaves through the paediatric medical community, particularly given Great Ormond Street Hospital's international reputation for excellence in children's healthcare. The hospital's decision to publicly release the review findings represents a significant transparency measure, though it inevitably prompts difficult questions about patient safety protocols and surgical supervision.
This revelation comes at a time of increased scrutiny on medical outcomes and patient safety within the NHS, with particular focus on surgical specialities treating vulnerable paediatric populations. The detailed breakdown of harm categories provides unprecedented insight into the scale and severity of the surgical complications experienced by these young patients.
