Kerala HC orders SIT probe after woman loses 4 fingers, 5 toes following cosmetic surgery

Kochi: The Kerala High Court has ordered a fresh investigation into an alleged medical negligence case involving a 31-year-old woman who suffered life-threatening complications following cosmetic surgery at a private day-care centre in Thiruvananthapuram, resulting in the amputation of four fingers and five toes.

The directive came after the software professional approached the High Court seeking an investigation by a Special Investigation Team (SIT), challenging the police’s decision to seek closure of the case. A bench of Justice G Girish directed the state police chief to transfer the investigation to a Crime Branch SIT and ordered that the probe be completed within six months. 

According to the woman’s complaint, she underwent a combination of cosmetic procedures, including liposuction, abdominoplasty and a Brazilian Butt Lift, on February 22, 2025. She alleged that her condition deteriorated within hours of being discharged the following day, with symptoms including low blood pressure, vomiting, dizziness and abdominal pain, reports TOI.

When she contacted the treatment centre, its nursing staff allegedly told her that doctors were unavailable because it was a Sunday and advised her to consume salted rice water and return the next day.

She was taken back to the facility on February 24, when doctors reportedly found that her blood pressure remained abnormally low. She was given intravenous fluids and a blood transfusion before being shifted to another hospital as her condition worsened.

The woman suffered a cardiac arrest on reaching the second hospital. Subsequent investigations reportedly detected septic shock caused by a Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection, along with kidney failure. Although her life was saved, she developed gangrene, leading to the amputation of four fingers of her left hand and five toes of her left foot. She has also alleged that the injuries left her unable to continue her career in the software sector, TOI reported. 

Police had sought to close the case after district- and state-level medical expert committees reportedly found insufficient evidence to substantiate the allegations. The High Court, however, raised concerns about the complexity of the surgery being performed at a facility registered only as a day-care centre, as well as the alleged lack of timely medical assistance and basic emergency facilities.

The court said these issues warranted further investigation and rejected the earlier police report. It also clarified that the available material did not currently justify criminal proceedings against the doctors, while leaving the woman free to pursue civil remedies for compensation.

The SIT must be constituted within two weeks and submit its investigation report within six months.