Dr Chris Profyris is among 30 leading neurosurgeons who have leapt to their colleague Charlie Teo’s defence after he was accused of operating on the wrong side of two patients’ brains.
Also on the list supporting Dr Teo are Dr Andre Grotenhuis, Dr Ales Aliashkevich and Dr Giovanni Broggi among many others.
In a statement seen by The Daily Telegraph, the doctors from Australia and abroad say they are “saddened” to read stories that “only serve to diminish the outstanding work Charlie has contributed to the neurological profession over many years.”
“As neurosurgical colleagues of Dr Charlie Teo, we have worked with, been taught by and consulted with him on many complex cases over the last 20 years,” the statement said.
“We believe Charlie’s commitment to teaching, research, and patient care over this period has been of the highest quality.
“His commitment to brain tumour awareness via his charitable work has translated into much needed funds for research, world-class publications, advancement of knowledge and heightened public consciousness about this devastating condition.”
A Sydney Morning Herald story in August referred to the case of Bradbury woman Michelle Smith, who underwent a craniotomy in 2003 to remove a tumour after suffering debilitating seizures.
According to that story, specialists who reviewed MRI scans from Ms Smith’s brain surgery more than 10 years later were “horrified” when they “suspected” Dr Teo “had not only failed to remove her tumour, he had operated on the wrong side of her brain.”
Dr Teo, who is in Germany as part of an overseas sabbatical where he is discussing neuroscience with leading surgeons in Europe and the US, strongly denied the claims.
“For the record, I have never, ever operated on the wrong side of the brain in my entire career,” he told The Sunday Telegraph in August.
The statement in support of Dr Teo has also been signed by:
Dr Ales Aliashkevich
Dr Giovanni Broggi
Dr Marc Coughlan
Dr Robert Dodd
Dr Brian Dlouhy
Dr Michael Donnellan
Dr Peter Gardner
Dr Amit Goyal
Dr Andre Grotenhuis
Dr Nikolai Hopf
Dr Ralph Mobbs
Dr Chris Profyris
Dr Warwick Stening
Dr Michael Sughrue
Dr Tim Sui
Dr Asheesh Tandon
Dr Tseng Tsai
Dr Harish Babu
Dr Tyler Atkins
Dr Dr Jacky Yeung
Dr Scott Wait
Dr Yashar Kalani
Dr Daniel Guillaume
Dr Peter Nakaji
Dr Pankaj Gore
Dr Gert Tollesson
Dr Omar Arnaout
Dr Mohammed Elhammady
Dr Mike DeCuypere
Dr Caroline Hayhurst
Source: The Daily Telegraph.
