In a shocking incident highlighting medical negligence, a 56-year-old man from Tamil Nadu underwent surgery on the wrong knee at a private hospital in Salem, triggering widespread outrage among citizens, healthcare experts, and patient rights groups.
What Happened?
Rajendran, a farmer from Namakkal district, had approached the hospital last month after experiencing persistent pain in his left knee due to degenerative arthritis. After months of conservative treatment and physiotherapy that failed to relieve his discomfort, his doctor advised knee replacement surgery as the last option.
However, when Rajendran woke up post-operation, he was shocked to learn that surgeons had operated on his right knee, which was healthy and had no pain symptoms.
How The Mistake Happened
Preliminary hospital investigations suggest:
- The surgical consent form listed the left knee, but the operating team marked the right knee for surgery.
- During pre-operative preparation, the marking error went unnoticed as standard WHO pre-surgery checklist protocols were reportedly not followed diligently.
- Nurses, anaesthetists, and surgeons failed to cross-check documentation before proceeding with the procedure.
Immediate Aftermath
Rajendran’s family confronted hospital management upon learning of the blunder. While doctors apologised for the “unfortunate human error”, they offered free corrective surgery on the left knee as an immediate remedy.
The patient’s son told local reporters:
“They put my father through unnecessary pain, mental trauma, and risk. How can a reputed hospital operate on the wrong knee despite so many staff checks in place?”
Medical Community Reacts
The Tamil Nadu Orthopaedic Association condemned the negligence and urged hospitals to ensure zero-tolerance protocols for wrong-site surgeries. Dr. Karthikeyan Sundaram, senior orthopaedic surgeon in Chennai, said:
“This is an unpardonable error. Surgical site verification is a fundamental checklist step. It reflects systemic lapses in surgical safety culture.”
Hospital Issues Statement
The Salem-based hospital issued an official statement:
“We regret the inadvertent surgical error that occurred due to communication gaps. The team has been suspended pending inquiry. We are cooperating with authorities and committed to patient welfare.”
They further assured that all expenses for the correct left knee surgery and post-operative care will be borne by the hospital.
Legal And Ethical Ramifications
Patient rights activists are demanding strict action under medical negligence provisions. Lawyers note that such wrong-site surgeries violate:
- Indian Medical Council (Professional Conduct, Etiquette and Ethics) Regulations
- Consumer Protection Act, under deficiency of service
- Potential criminal negligence charges under IPC Section 304A if permanent disability occurs
How Common Are Wrong-Site Surgeries?
Globally, wrong-site surgeries are classified as “never events”, meaning they should never occur under proper medical standards. However, research indicates:
| Region | Estimated Incidence |
|---|---|
| India | No consolidated national data; underreported, but medico-legal cases emerge sporadically. |
| US | 1 in 100,000 surgeries despite strict WHO surgical safety checklist adherence. |
| UK | NHS data shows <0.05% incidence; immediate reporting and audits mandated. |
WHO Surgical Safety Checklist
The World Health Organisation’s Surgical Safety Checklist mandates:
- Pre-anaesthesia check: Confirm patient identity, procedure, and site.
- Surgical site marking: Performed and verified by surgeon and team before anaesthesia.
- Time-out protocol: Team pauses to reconfirm patient name, procedure, and site aloud before incision.
In Rajendran’s case, preliminary findings suggest failure in time-out protocol and site verification.
Patient’s Current Condition
Rajendran is currently recovering from the unnecessary right knee surgery. Doctors plan to perform his original left knee replacement after six weeks, allowing him to regain strength before undergoing another operation.
His family remains concerned about his mobility, psychological trauma, and financial security as he remains out of work during recovery.
Expert Views On Systemic Reforms
| Expert | View |
|---|---|
| Dr. Meenakshi Sundaram, Healthcare Safety Auditor | “Hospitals must enforce digital surgical checklists with barcoding to eliminate manual documentation errors.” |
| M. Sivakumar, Patient Rights Advocate | “Medical Council should suspend licences in such negligence cases. Only strict penalties can instil discipline.” |
| Dr. Priya Narayanan, Medical Ethics Professor | “Every wrong-site surgery represents a failure of teamwork, communication, and leadership accountability within surgical units.” |
Government Intervention Likely
Tamil Nadu Health Minister M. Subramanian has asked the Directorate of Medical Services to submit a report. Officials are exploring stricter state guidelines for mandatory WHO checklist implementation in all private and government hospitals.
Similar Incidents In The Past
- 2019: Chennai’s private hospital operated on the wrong leg of an accident victim, resulting in suspension of the orthopaedic surgeon for six months.
- 2022: Kerala hospital removed a healthy kidney during a nephrectomy procedure, leading to a ₹50 lakh compensation order by the consumer court.
The Way Forward
Healthcare quality experts say that training, digital protocols, and an ethical culture are needed to prevent such “never events”. Many hospitals are moving to barcode-based surgical verification and AI-enabled checklists to eliminate human error.
Conclusion
Rajendran’s ordeal highlights the urgent need for stronger patient safety frameworks in Indian hospitals. While human errors are inevitable, systemic safeguards and a culture of zero tolerance for negligence can ensure such errors remain truly “never events”.
Disclaimer: This article is based on official hospital statements, preliminary medical board findings, and expert commentary as of July 2025. It is intended for general informational purposes only. Readers are advised not to consider it as medical or legal advice for individual cases.
