An NHS surgeon, Dr. Yasser Abdel Rahman, has been struck off the medical register for serious professional misconduct following a catastrophic surgical error in August 2020. The incident occurred during emergency bowel surgery at The Royal Oldham Hospital, where Dr. Abdel Rahman connected the wrong part of the patient's small intestine to the stomach, creating a "closed loop" that prevented normal bodily functions.
Surgical Blunder and Patient Impact
The patient, identified only as Patient A, was undergoing surgery for a tumor in his small bowel and a perforated necrotic loop. Dr. Abdel Rahman, a locum consultant general and colorectal surgeon who had been at the hospital for only a few days, performed a five-hour operation. Following the procedure, Patient A experienced uncontrollable pain and was unable to have a bowel movement for three weeks. A nurse noted Dr. Abdel Rahman appeared unconcerned and dismissive of the patient's condition and her concerns.
The tribunal heard that the surgical error was a "totally unconventional operation that was not compatible with life." The patient's bowel contents had "nowhere to go apart from back into the stomach in a circular fashion." Without a second emergency operation performed by another surgeon, Anthony Rate, on September 15, 2020, Patient A would have died.
Tribunal Findings and Consequences
Dr. Abdel Rahman reportedly never apologized or admitted his mistake, instead claiming there was a "witch hunt" against him. He stated he had "30 years of an unblemished record." However, the Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service (MPTS) found no evidence of remorse or empathy from Dr. Abdel Rahman towards the patient or his family. The tribunal determined that his actions constituted serious professional misconduct, labeling the error as "as bad as it gets for a consultant surgeon."
An expert witness for the General Medical Council (GMC), Anthony Blower, described the procedure as "bizarre" and stated it would have led directly to the patient's death if uncorrected. Mr. Blower also noted that a section of the small bowel was left in the abdomen, which was "totally inappropriate" and "extremely wrong."
Further complicating matters, Dr. Abdel Rahman failed to comply with conditions placed on his registration in July 2021, specifically by not informing the GMC when he took up a locum position in Ireland in February 2022. The tribunal concluded that his fitness to practice was impaired due to misconduct and ordered him to be struck off the register. An immediate suspension order is in place pending any potential appeal.