SINGAPORE — A Singapore urologist accused of cutting the wrong arteries during a kidney operation that ended in a patient’s death has been barred from performing almost all forms of surgery for 18 months.
The Singapore Medical Council (SMC) imposed the interim restrictions on Dr Fong Yan Kit, 54, after raising serious concerns about his surgical competence and whether the fatal error could happen again.
The restrictions were ordered by the SMC’s Interim Orders Committee as a public-safety measure while the case against Dr Fong continues. They do not amount to a criminal conviction.
What happened during the 2022 surgery?
The case dates back to April 29, 2022, when Dr Fong performed keyhole surgery at Raffles Hospital to remove a growth from the kidney of a 63-year-old woman, Tan Bee Hwa.
According to court documents and findings from the subsequent coroner’s inquiry, Dr Fong allegedly severed the superior mesenteric artery and coeliac trunk instead of the vessels that were supposed to be cut during the procedure.
Those arteries supply blood to major abdominal organs. Their severing resulted in infarction, or tissue death caused by inadequate blood supply, to the patient’s abdominal organs.
She died in hospital several days later, on May 2, 2022.
The State Coroner later concluded that the woman’s death resulted from the medical procedure and said it could have been avoided.
A medical expert cited during the coroner’s inquiry said Dr Fong realised something had gone wrong during the operation but paused for about 13 minutes without calling for assistance, according to The Straits Times.
SMC raises concerns over anatomy and surgical judgment
The latest SMC proceedings have put renewed attention on what happened inside the operating theatre.
The council argued that the arteries Dr Fong allegedly cut were located in their usual anatomical positions and that the incident raised serious doubts about his skills and competence as a urologist.
SMC lawyers also argued that Dr Fong appeared to have a fundamental misunderstanding or misapprehension of human anatomy and questioned whether the mistake was simply an isolated, inadvertent error.
The council pointed to evidence that even during the later coroner’s inquiry, Dr Fong initially maintained an incorrect understanding of the location of the aorta before eventually acknowledging the mistake.
The SMC said allowing him to continue unrestricted surgical practice could create a risk of another patient suffering a similar outcome.
Doctor says he had already restricted his own practice
Dr Fong’s lawyers disputed the extent of the concerns raised by the SMC.
According to CNA, Dr Fong said he had already voluntarily stopped performing major abdominal surgery from June 2022 and had asked to be relieved of advanced laparoscopic and robotic procedures.
After being charged in March 2026, he was placed on indefinite leave from the hospital.
His lawyers also said that during roughly 20 years at Raffles Hospital, Dr Fong had performed or assisted in at least 200 laparoscopic surgeries, including more than 60 open and laparoscopic nephrectomies, without an accidental cutting of the wrong artery or a postoperative death.
He proposed voluntarily undertaking not to perform major abdominal surgery until the disciplinary proceedings were completed.
However, the committee determined that formal restrictions were necessary.
What the 18-month restriction means
For the next 18 months, Dr Fong is prohibited from offering or performing surgery as a primary, secondary or assistant surgeon.
The restriction has a limited exception for minor office procedures appropriately performed in a primary-care setting.
He must also:
- Inform the SMC of every place where he practises or intends to practise.
- Inform employers or organisations engaging him for medical work about the restrictions.
- Comply with the conditions imposed by the Interim Orders Committee.
The SMC said the restrictions were necessary to protect the public and preserve public confidence in the medical profession.
Criminal case is still pending
Dr Fong was charged in March 2026 with causing death by a negligent act in connection with the 2022 operation.
If convicted, he could face up to two years’ imprisonment, a fine, or both.
The criminal proceedings remain ongoing, meaning the allegations against him have not yet been finally determined by the court.
The case has also triggered broader questions about surgical safety, the importance of recognising unexpected complications during an operation, and how medical regulators should respond when serious concerns arise before criminal proceedings are concluded.
For now, one thing is clear: Singapore’s medical regulator has decided that the concerns surrounding the fatal operation are serious enough that Dr Fong cannot continue unrestricted surgical practice while the case moves forward.
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