Chennai, Doctor had done a hip surgery, who had no knowledge of the procedure, treatment despite the hospital not having CT scan facilities, use of substandard metal plate and delay in treatment.

Bharathi Rajaa hospital in T Nagar committed all these deficiencies in service, due to which its promoters and orthopedic surgeon Dr Nagappan came in for flak at a consumer court, which ordered them to pay a compensation of Rs 8.38 lakh to a man injured in a road accident more than 15 years ago.

According to the district consumer disputes redressal forum, Chennai (north), "Dr Nagappan has no knowledge of treatment of hip replacement and Bharathi Rajaa hospital does not have sufficient infrastructure for conducting such a surgery".

David Tyagaraj, a lawyer, who met with a road accident in January 2000, had to fight the case for more than 15 years, and also suffer a permanent disability because of these deficiencies and failures.

Dr Nagappan told the forum that the patient was kept under observation for two days before the surgery was performed on the third day. The universal method of treatment was adopted, and that bone grafting was also done.

But the patient did not heed his advice that he should not walk or bear weight on the right thigh, he added.

The forum bench comprising president K Jayabalan and member T Kaliyarasi while rejecting his submissions said Dr Nagappan consulted a doctor from another hospital, and referred the patient without assigning any reason in the discharge summary for not performing hip replacement.

As the conclusion says that, "The wait for a period of two to three days to undertake surgery is a clear case of delay".