Bangladeshi businessman sues Singapore surgeon after procedure allegedly left him paralysed

Noor Alam, 51, has been in hospital since July 2022. At the same time, Gleneagles has sued him to get payment of the bills, which have exceeded S$1 million (US$739,800) and are mounting.

According to court documents, Alam came to Gleneagles in 2019 for specialist medical care from Dr James Tan Siah Heng for neck pain that did not improve with physiotherapy.

According to documents filed by Alam’s lawyers – Raj Singh Shergill and Desiree Koh Jia Min from Lee Shergill law firm – Tan told Alam that he had a prolapsed disc with spinal cord compression.

He advised Alam to undergo surgery to replace the disc, and the operation was completed uneventfully, following which Alam returned to Bangladesh, the court documents filed by Alam’s lawyers state.

However, Alam developed a wound infection which later healed and left behind a skin tag – a benign growth.

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, he was able to return to Singapore for a consultation with Tan only in July 2022.

According to Alam, Tan recommended radiofrequency medial branch neurotomy – a procedure that involves using radio waves for pain treatment – and assured him that it would be very quick and easy.

Alam’s lawyers allege that the way Tan injected local anaesthesia into Alam during the procedure injured Alam’s spinal cord.

Following the procedure, Alam felt weakness in his left arm and leg that later progressed to all four limbs.

According to an expert report obtained by his lawyers, Alam is now wheelchair bound, incontinent and unable to walk – a disability that is likely to be permanent.

In his statement of claim in May, Alam alleges that Tan breached his duty in negligently, wilfully or recklessly failing to provide him with the relevant and material information and advice about