HOSPITAL chiefs have decided there will be not be a formal investigation into the death of a 23-year-old Blackheath man who died during routine surgery.

Guy's and St Thomas' Hospital NHS Trust said there was no need for surgeon Fikral Shabbo to be the subject of a formal inquiry following the death of unemployed electrician Anthony Dedman.

Mr Dedman, who lived in Galsworthy Crescent, died last June after an operation at St Thomas' heart surgery unit.

The hospital said he died of a heart attack, but an independent pathologist said it was due to a punctured liver in surgery.

Mr Dedman's parents Anthony and Patricia called for a formal investigation.

His uncle John Dedman, of Eltham, said: “All we wanted was an inquiry and it should have happened immediately.”

A hospital spokeswoman said: “We held an internal inquiry and met with Mr Dedman's parents to answer their questions.

“We believe there is no need for a formal investigation of Fikral Shabbo.

“We regularly monitor the performance of our surgeons and routinely send data to the national cardiac surgical database.

“The results show St Thomas' as a specialist centre taking high-risk patients compares well with national surgeries.”

She said Mr Shabbo's performance compared well with his peers.

Consultant forensic pathologist Dr Paula Lannas said the deaths of Mr Dedman and a 79-year-old man at the hospital two months later were due to punctured livers during surgery.

But assistant deputy coroner for inner south London, Dr Margaret Branthwaite, said Mr Dedman died of a heart attack linked to heart valve problems.