A Dundee victim of disgraced doctor Professor Sam Eljamel broke down as she told the BBC’s Jeremy Vine about her ordeal at the hands of the rogue surgeon.
Leann Sutherland – referred to the NHS Tayside neurosurgeon in 2010 after suffering constant migraines – later vowed to keep on fighting to raise awareness of the scandal until a public inquiry is ordered.
Last month Leann told The Courier she was used as an experimental study by Eljamel.
Then 21, she was left in so much pain at Ninewells Hospital that she asked her mother Gwenn to end her life.
Speaking on BBC Radio 2’s Jeremy Vine show, she relived her Eljamel nightmare.
Leann says she was told the surgery would help her migraines – but cerebrospinal fluid began leaking from her wound following the operation.
Initially dismissed as sweat by a junior doctor, she became seriously unwell and spent four months in hospital, going under the knife a further seven times.
She was operated by Eljamel as doubts about his competence circulated among NHS Tayside colleagues.
“Had I known what I know now, I wouldn’t have went ahead with the study,” she said.
Leann, now 33, broke down in tears as she told how she has “pretty much lost everything”, including her salon.
“I’ve got my own business, I’m still a nail technician and I work around my illness. I don’t think anyone would employ me,” she added.
“I still suffer with exactly the same migraines, if anything I’m more ill now. The surgery didn’t help me at all.
“I’ve been told I can’t have children.”
She has joined others affected by Eljamel, who is believed to be in Libya, in calling for a public inquiry.
The last time Leann saw the surgeon she says he said he was “surprised to see her alive”.
‘They knew this day would come’
NHS Tayside say they did not know about Eljamel’s behaviour until 2013 but Leann has cast doubt on the health board’s version of events.
On Tuesday we revealed how one cancer specialist, previously employed by the health board, had travelled to London rather than allow the disgraced professor to operate on her.
“They knew this day would come. You can’t let a rogue surgeon loose and expect nothing to come of it.”
Speaking to The Courier after her contribution to the BBC radio show on Tuesday afternoon, Leann insisted she will never give up in the fight for answers over Eljamel’s botched surgeries, which have changed the lives of dozens of patients.
“The only one delaying that is Humza Yousaf,” she added.
NHS Tayside says there have been three external reviews of Professor Eljamel’s practices, with recommendations on improvements accepted and actioned by the health board.
“We remain committed to do whatever is required to support any independent process,” they added.
