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A surgeon who marked his initials on the livers of two transplant patients has admitted assault by beating.
Simon Bramhall, 53, committed the offences at Birmingham's Queen Elizabeth Hospital in February and August 2013.
The liver, spleen and pancreas surgeon was suspended later that year.
He pleaded guilty to two charges at Birmingham Crown Court and will be sentenced at the same court on 12 January.
He denied the more serious charge of assault occasioning actual bodily harm - a plea which was accepted by prosecutors.
Liver surgeons use an argon beam to stop livers bleeding, but can also use it to burn the surface of the liver to sketch out the area of an operation.
It is not believed to have been harmful to the liver and the marks normally disappear.
In one case it appears the organ was already damaged and as a result did not heal itself in the normal manner, allowing the marks to be seen.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-42344180