Mr Charles Imber Hepato-biliary Surgeon

5 months ago I was referred to Mr Imber for a cholecystectomy after finding stones in my gallbladder. I don’t know where to start with the horror of what happened to me, how I was treated after the surgery and the pain I am still in. I was told by the Dr that I would experience discomfort for 2 days and will return to “normal” activities within 2 weeks. 1 day After my surgery I was discharged only to be readmitted 2 days later in excruciating pain. I was unable to move, stand straight, I was vomiting, and couldn’t eat anything. I was admitted under his care and he ran tests and said he couldn’t find a reason for my pain. He said the surgery was a success and discharged me. I was not convinced. I was on Tramadol, codeine, and even morphine for pain and I STILL couldn’t walk. He made me feel so bad about my situation, the last thing you want to feel as a patient. He came to my room one morning and told the nurses afterwards that he was “annoyed” that I wasn’t moving around! He lacks empathy and pressured me to leave the hospital while I was still in pain. Maybe he thought I was lying about the pain or it was on my head or maybe or he doesn’t want to have to answer any of my questions. I kept requesting my blood tests and refused but after complaining at the hospital I was finally allowed to see some of them only to find that my liver enzymes were highly elevated. I kept pressing the issue only to be reassured by him and the other Dr on duty that it was nothing. After I was discharged with apparently “normal post op pain” I went back for a follow up a week after. I was still in pain. Mr Imber was dismissive and very un-empathetic AGAIN. I was in tears in his office I felt desperate and begged him for answers as to why I was still in pain. To which he responded that he did his job and that any problems I may be experiencing are not “his fault” and that I should see someone else. He was clearly annoyed I came to see him again. He was more worried about his image and reputation than my health and well-being it seemed. He said I should go back to my Gastro because he “can’t help me”. Yes the surgeon who operated on me can’t help 2 weeks post op. he insisted his surgery was a success then he practically kicked me out of the office. Obviously I never went back to him and refuse to deal with him ever again. What a shocker it was to learn that in fact I had complications after the surgery which should’ve been picked up by him easily. I don’t know if it was his ego that stopped him from admitting there was an issue but there was one and I have since required 2 further procedures to treat it as well as medication which I’m still using. All now under the care of another consultant. Mr Imber not only failed to diagnose me properly after my emergency admittance to the hospital and spending 8 days under his care, where I was poked for blood tests EVERYDAY he also misinformed me about my liver test results (which were highly elevated according to 2 other consultants that I saw following my discharge) he also failed to pick up that there was a problem with my blood results which was an indication of a serious health complication following the surgery. When I challenged him on my blood test results he got defensive and responded abruptly that “it was fine”. Well it wasn’t and I’m glad I trusted my gut instinct and went to see another consultant who diagnosed me on the spot. 3 days later I was under general anaesthetic again receiving emergency diagnostic treatment . I wasn’t crazy or imagining it like he made me feel. It was real, he just didn’t bother to diagnose it. 5 months on, I’m still in pain ( worse than what I started with 6 months ago) and wish I never saw Mr Imber. I’ve lost my ability to exercise, or go for long walks, do house work. I was gaslighted and neglected and the treatment I received left me traumatised months later. I do not recommend this dr at all and am genuinely surprised I was referred to him in the first place. I wish I did more research and saw more than 1 Dr before I let him cut me open.

If you're reading this review it probably means you'll need to undergo surgery shortly and your GP or your specialist has suggested Mr Imber. I've been there and I know that the period preceding an operation could be quite stressful (and sometimes we seek reassurance on the Internet). Well, "Dr. Google" could be quite frightening, trust Mr. Imber instead: he's one of the top Hepato-biliary surgeon in UK, I could not recommend him more highly. Mr Imber had the patience to answer all of my concerns before the surgery, the day of the surgery and after the surgery. Moreover my post-op recovery has been quick and rather painless, and I suspect Mr Imber's skills played an important role in that. Hope you get to feeling better soon.