An experienced neurosurgeon has been stripped of his licence to practice after covering up his failure to remove a patient's brain tumour.
Emmanuel Labram performed surgery at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary, where a woman known as Patient A was referred for treatment in 2008.
Mr Labram removed only tiny fragments of the lesion, but proceeded to tell Patient A and her husband that he had succeeded in extracting the entire tumour.
He then wrote a letter to her GP to say she required no further treatment.
In January 2009, the surgeon altered a pathology report and sent a copy to his patient in order to cover his tracks.
By the time Mr Labram finally told Patient A in 2010 that the lesions had "recurred", surgeons she sought out for private treatment informed her the tumour was inoperable.
An inquiry was launched but Mr Labram was allowed to continue practicing up until taking early retirement in 2012.
Patient A made a complaint, and the hospital’s medical director ordered an investigation - but the doctor was able to continue working until October last year, when he took early retirement.
Mr Labram had not attended his professional disciplinary hearing in Manchester, which resulted in a three month delay.
A ruling given yesterday by a Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service panel accepted it was possible that Mr Labram had genuinely believed he had removed the whole tumour in the first instance; but that the subsequent activity he undertook to cover his tracks once he realised his failure constituted dishonest and misleading conduct.
According to BBC News, panel chairman Dr Howard Freeman said: "The panel considers that Mr Labram's misconduct put Patient A at serious risk of harm, he abused his position of trust and he violated Patient A's rights.
"Whilst the panel accepts that Mr Labram's misconduct relates to a single episode, it is concerned that his dishonest behaviour was persistent and covered up.
"The panel is also concerned that Mr Labram denied any wrong-doing and he maintained throughout the NHS Grampian investigation that his operative management and probity were not deficient.
"The panel considers that Mr Labram has displayed a reckless disregard for the principles set out in good medical practice."
Mr Labram will be removed from the General Medical Council's register of doctors in 28 days, subject to his right to appeal.
