British surgeon suspended for 'branding initials on liver'

A British surgeon has been suspended over allegations that he "branded" his initials onto a patient's liver, media reported today.

Simon Bramhall faces an investigation after a colleague discovered the initials "SB" on the organ during a follow-up operation at Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham, central England, newspapers said.

The hospital's managing trust said in a statement: "Following an allegation of misconduct, University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust has suspended a surgeon while an internal investigation is completed."

The Daily Mail newspaper said Bramhall used non-toxic argon gas to sear his initials onto the liver.