Harpenden doctor avoids being struck off (From St Albans & Harpenden Review)

Harpenden doctor avoids being struck off

4:17pm Thursday 18th February 2010 in News By Alexandra Barham

A HARPENDEN doctor has avoided being thrown out of the medical profession after admitting to a series of blunders during an operation which left a sportswoman brain dead.

A General Medical Council (GMC) hearing investigating Dr Wasfy Yanny was told he posed a "continued risk to patients" following a bungled operation to cure 27-year-old Louise Field of an excessive sweating problem.

But a panel agreed that Dr Yanny, of Penny Croft, Harpenden, should be allowed to continue practising, despite being found guilty of serious misconduct.

Miss Field, of Wheathampstead, died two days after she underwent a pioneering operation at Harpenden's Bupa Hospital, now Harpenden Spire Hospital, on March 20, 2002.

At an earlier hearing, medical professionals heard how the amateur sportswoman's lung was punctured with a needle after which consultant anaesthetist Dr Wasfy Yanny failed to treat her dipping oxygen levels during the operation.

The operation had been carried out by Dr Michael Ormiston, of Abbey Mill End, St Albans, whose conduct is also being investigated in a separate hearing, a number of times, but the panel was told it was the first time the procedure was undertaken by the vascular surgeon at that particular hospital.

However, Ms Field failed to wake up following the operation and was left brain dead. Her life support machine was turned off on March 22 by doctors at Hemel Hempstead Hospital where she was transferred to after her oxygen levels dropped dangerously low.

Sarah Plasckes for the GMC said Dr Yanny gave no indication his patient might have brain damage, which was likely given her lack of oxygen.

He also failed to inform the specialist registrar at the hospital about the drugs given or provide a anaesthetic chart. Dr Yanny is also accused of failing to apologise to Mrs Field's worried family, supposedly telling them after her death that "these things happened".

Yanny and Dr Ormiston were both found guilty of conduct that fell below the standard expected of a medical practitioner. The panel also ruled their conduct was inappropriate and not in the best interests of the patient.