Kerala Orthopaedic surgeon booked for alleged medical negligence in hip surgery

Thiruvananthapuram: A medical negligence case has been registered against an orthopaedic surgeon at Jubilee Memorial Hospital, Palayam, after a 24-year-old patient alleged that a surgery meant to improve blood flow for persistent hip joint pain instead left him in severe pain.

In his police complaint, the patient alleged that he suffered severe pain in his hip and leg after the surgery. He claimed that during the procedure, a bone drill bit broke and got stuck inside his left hip bone.

The hospital administration, however, denied the allegations and said there was no medical negligence by the doctor. They stated that the first surgery was successful and the patient was discharged. During the second surgery, carried out a month later, the metal tip of the guide wire became detached. Removing it would have required another invasive surgery, which the doctor advised against. The doctor reportedly informed the patient that the metal fragment would not pose any health risk.

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The doctor has been booked under Sections 125 and 125(b) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), which deal with acts that endanger life or personal safety due to negligence.

The incident took place after the patient approached the orthopaedics department of the private hospital in September 2025 after suffering from persistent pain in both hip joints. After examination, the doctor advised a surgical procedure to increase blood circulation to the affected area.

The first surgery was carried out on the patient’s right hip on October 3 and was reportedly successful. He was later discharged. However, problems allegedly arose during the second surgery on the left hip, which was performed on November 17.

The complaint states that during the procedure, a bone drill bit broke and got stuck inside the patient’s left hip bone due to the doctor’s careless handling of the surgical instrument. Following this, the patient reportedly experienced severe pain in his hip and leg.

Based on the complaint, the police registered a case, booked the doctor and have begun further investigation.

Meanwhile, the hospital has denied the allegations of negligence and said the patient was suffering from avascular necrosis and had opted for a core decompression procedure to restore blood flow to the affected bone. They further stated that removing the metal would have required further invasive surgery, and the sterilised metal fragment would not pose any health risk.

Fr Lenin Raj T, managing director of the hospital, told TNIE, "The first procedure, performed on one leg in October, was successful and the patient was discharged. During the second procedure, a month later, the metal tip of the guide wire became detached. Removing it would have required invasive surgery. The attending doctor advised against such intervention, assuring both the patient and his attendant that the sterilised metal fragment would not pose any health risk. There was no negligence involved."

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