The release of a preliminary report into how a pensioner had his one healthy kidney removed by mistake has been postponed.

Graham Reeves remains critically ill in intensive care after surgeon John Roberts took out the wrong organ.

Prince Phillip Hospital at Llanelli has said it now has a good idea what went wrong during the botched operation.

But although a preliminary report has been completed, Carmarthenshire NHS Trust has decided to wait for the Royal College of Surgeons to complete its independent report. Both reports will then be released next Friday.

Hospital chiefs have confirmed they are investigating another operation conducted by Mr Roberts after which the patient died from complications.

But the Trust stressed that it did not blame the 58-year-old surgeon for anyone's death.

It has also emerged that concerns from nursing staff had already prompted the hospital in south west Wales to begin an audit of 400 operations carried out by the urology department.

The Royal College of Surgeons was called in to undertake an independent inquiry by the National Assembly.

It is still not clear whether the results of the hospital's preliminary internal investigation will be made public.

But local MP Denzil Davies said he wanted the public to be given the results of the RCS's independent investigation.

"My view is that when that is completed all the evidence given to the inquiry and the conclusion should be made public so that people can read them and then maintain confidence in the hospital," he said.

Mr Reeves, 69, had an operation on Monday, when a surgeon took out his healthy kidney, leaving him with the damaged organ that should have been removed.

Critical

The former power station worker from Burry Port near Llanelli, is now in a critical condition at Morriston Hospital in Swansea. He has not regained consciousness since the operation.

His family are reported to feel no bitterness towards the hospital staff, but want a full inquiry to prevent such a mistake happening again.

A kidney specialist has told the BBC that Mr Reeves will require regular dialysis to stay alive.

The Chief Executive of the Carmarthenshire NHS Trust Mike Jones stressed that Mr Roberts, who has been suspended from doing renal operations and is on leave, is not being blamed for anyone's death.

Mr Jones said that the trust had only recently decided to carry out an audit of 400 operations carried out by the urology department following concerns over post-operative complications.

Kirsty Williams, Chairman of the National Assembly's Health Committee promised the investigations would be "swift open and honest".

"Firstly we need to provide answers to the family and patient that has suffered so dreadfully in this incident," she said.

"Secondly we must learn what can be done better, what mistakes were made and how we can improve upon it not only in the Llanelli hospital but whether there are lessons to be learned and implemented across Wales.

"Of course I am concerned that such an audit has been necessary," she went on.

"However, I would be more concerned if the nurses had expressed concerns and no investigation had taken place.

"The trust has acted most properly in conducting this audit and it will ensure that the surgery that is being carried out in Prince Phillip is of the highest standard.

"The people of Wales will be looking to the Assembly to ensure that wherever they are being treated, the highest possible clinical standards are being exercised. And that when things do go wrong they are investigated in a swift open and honest way."

Chairman of the Kidney Research Unit for Wales Foundation, Max Gabe-Wilkinson said renal operations should be carried out in specialist centres.

"In my 35 years in the renal world this is the first time to my knowledge that this sort of thing has happened," he said.

"But I do feel that renal work should be carried out at specialist centres such as Morriston and the University Hospital."