Surgeon applies for permission to continue amputating healthy limbs

A surgeon who was severely criticised after amputating the healthy limbs of two psychologically disturbed patients has applied for permission to continue carrying out the same procedures.

A surgeon who was severely criticised after amputating the healthy limbs of two psychologically disturbed patients has applied for permission to continue carrying out the same procedures.

Robert Smith, a surgeon at the Falkirk and District Royal Infirmary was banned from performing the operations at the NHS hospital, after it was found that neither patients had any physically problem.

Both men were suffering from a rare form of body dysmorphic disorder that made them regard their bodies as incomplete and defective with all four limbs. Sufferers can become so depressed, and even suicidal, that psychiatrists sometimes decide that removing the "offending part" is the only "cure".

The private hospital where Mr Smith carries out routine general surgery, Abbey Kings Park Hospital in Stirling, confirmed yesterday that he had applied for permission to remove patients' healthy limbs from its medical advisory committee.

"I can confirm he has applied for permission to our medical advisory committee," said Beth Martin, matron manager of the hospital. "It has to go before the committee. It will be treated on its own merits," she said.

Earlier this year, the hospital refused permission for the operations, but Ms Martin said that would not affect the new application. "Mr Smith is a member of our medical society. He works within the hospital but any surgeon wishing to undertake work has to apply to the committee," she said.

Earlier this year Mr Smith defended the operations, which he carried out in September 1997 and April 1999, describing them as "probably one of the most satisfying operations" he had done. "At the end of the day I have no doubt that what I was doing was the correct thing for those patients," he said.

He caused public outcry when it was revealed that one of his patients, Kevin Wright, a 39-year-old teaching assistant at Essex University had part of a healthy leg removed at a time when he was helping to run OverGround, a website providing "support and information for those who are attracted to others with physical disabilities".

Mr Smith had treated both men, Mr Wright and a German pensioner, Hans Schaub, 71, after they were turned away by doctors across Europe. He did so without the knowledge or permission of the hospital trust's board or chairman, which earlier this year banned him from doing the surgery.