Kerala liposuction horror: Woman loses nine fingers, panel says ‘no medical negligence’

Thiruvananthapuram: A state-level expert committee in Kerala has found no medical negligence in the case of a 31-year-old software engineer who lost nine of her digits following a fat removal surgery, though the patient has alleged a conspiracy to protect the doctors involved.

The expert panel, constituted by the Kerala Health Department, concluded that there was no evidence of medical negligence in the liposuction surgery performed at a cosmetic hospital in Kulathoor, Thiruvananthapuram. The report has been handed over to the Kazhakkoottam Cyber City Assistant Police Commissioner, who is investigating the case.

What happened?

Accrding to reports M.S. Neethu, a 31-year-old software engineer from Muttathara, Thiruvananthapuram underwent an abdominal fat removal procedure on February 22. She developed severe complications soon after the surgery, resulting in multiple organ failure. Subsequently, all the toes on her left foot, part of her sole, and four fingers on her left hand were amputated.

Following her complications, Neethu was shifted from the cosmetic hospital to a private facility in Chacka, where she underwent extensive treatment costing over ₹35 lakh. She spent several days on a ventilator and continues to suffer from lasting physical impairments.

What are the patient’s allegations?

Neethu has accused the expert committee of a “conspiracy” to protect the doctors, particularly Dr. Bibilash and his colleagues. She alleged that even before the evidence collection began in Ernakulam, some committee members had decided there was no wrongdoing. She has filed a petition in the Kerala High Court seeking justice and plans to obtain the full report through the Right to Information Act (RTI).

What did the government say?

In a statement in the Kerala Legislative Assembly, Health Minister Veena George said the hospital had not committed medical negligence. However, she also confirmed that the clinic’s registration under the Clinical Establishments Act had been cancelled because it performed liposuction surgery, a procedure not declared in its licensing documents.

With the expert committee ruling out negligence, the police have indicated that a case cannot be filed against the doctors under current circumstances. Neethu’s legal challenge in the High Court may determine whether further investigation will be ordered into the incident.