The unique limb lengthening surgery performed recently by Global Hospitals on a young software employee from Hyderabad has led to a new debate among the doctors fraternity about the ethical practices in medicine. In view of this, the Telangana State Medical Council (TSMC) has issued a notice to doctors of Global Hospitals seeking explanation for performing such a surgery on a healthy and hail person.

According to Dr. Ravinder Reddy, chairman of TSMC, the concerned doctors from Global Hospitals have been summoned and sought explanation for reasons to carry out such a surgery on a young healthy and hail person. “A notice has been served to the doctors of the Global Hospital to explain why such a surgery was carried out on a healthy person. Such issues are needed to be investigated closely to find out if any unethical practices are being practised by the hospital,” said Dr. Ravinder

Surgery for increasing the height of a person is performed by cutting the lower limb bone and a metal frame is fixed to it from the outside with a screw. After the surgery, there is a training and rehabilitation period of 15 days after which the patient is discharged. This rehabilitation process is carried out for three months and the patients’ height will increase as desired. However, agility and mobility of the patient is restricted. There will also be lot of bone and muscle pain, observed orthopaedic experts.

On explaining on whom such surgeries may be performed, Dr. Sharada and Dr. Bhaskar from Rosewell Hospital opined that it is illegal and unethical to carry out a surgery only to increase the height of a person without any valid physical or psychological problems for the patient. They felt that such surgeries are done only in cases of accidents, congenital defects, and non-alignment of limbs due to injury and also for bone tumors.

However, as allegations and suspicion being expressed against the doctors of Global Hospitals, in dealing with the issue without intimating to the patient’s family members, healthcare experts felt that there might be something fishy or unethical that may have gone into the case. In view of this, the TSMC has took it as a case of serious violation of ethical code of medical practice and issued summons to the doctors of Global Hospital and sought their explanation on the issue. “It is also alleged that the hospital sources have never bothered to intimate the family members of the patient, while it is the responsibility of the hospital to intimate the immediate relatives of the patient,” said a member of TSMC.