My father underwent a bypass surgery in May 2022 under Dr. Z. S. Meharwal and his team at Fortis. From the very beginning, it became evident that this hospital and its team were more concerned about money and volume of patients than about patient care or ethical practice.One horrific incident before the surgery still stands out: my father was put on fasting and prepared for the operation, but the procedure was deliberately delayed until we deposited the full fees. They refused to take him in even though we were short by just INR 5,000–10,000 due to a card issue. Only after arranging the payment did they proceed.Following the surgery, we were repeatedly assured that the bypass was “successful” and that my father would recover well. For the next three years, during every six- to eight-month follow-up, only routine blood tests were performed. No proper investigations or imaging were ever suggested. Each time, we were told he was doing fine.In January 2025, while we were in Mumbai for my wedding shopping, my father developed chest pain and breathlessness. A local cardiologist we consulted there informed us that the graft (LIMA) inserted during the bypass was extremely thin, ineffective, and had not served its purpose. He also identified additional blockages. His exact words were: “Technically this should not happen if the bypass had been done correctly.” To stabilize my father, angioplasty with stent placement was advised. However, we decided first to refer back to Dr. Meharwal in Delhi. The Mumbai doctor adjusted his blood thinner dosage but understood our hesitation.In the interim, we arranged an online consultation with Dr. Z. S. Meharwal to get clarity on the situation. As expected, he was unable to provide any concrete information and simply advised us to visit the hospital for a physical evaluation. He added two more medicines on WhatsApp (done by his PA) , he does not have the time to advise anything.We then saw him in person in August 2025. At that visit, all follow-up blood tests were first reviewed not by the doctor himself but by his trainee, as the doctor apparently did not have sufficient time to go through the reports in detail. The trainee did not point out any concerns until we mentioned the serious episode in Mumbai, then were we referred to Dr. Meharwal, who gave us barely ten minutes — more than usual, given that most of the time he merely signs off prescriptions without real consultation. Even then, instead of giving us clarity, he only presented two vague options: another bypass or a stent. When we told him what the Mumbai doctor had said, he merely concurred with that opinion without adding value or direction. That was the moment we realized treatment under him was neither safe nor trustworthy, and we decided to approach other doctors through a reference in Ahmedabad.Subsequently, the doctor in Ahmedabad confirmed these findings. The bypass had effectively failed from the start, and the graft choice and surgical decisions were wholly inappropriate. The contrast between what the Ahmedabad doctors explained versus what Dr. Meharwal’s team kept repeating for three years is stark and deeply troubling.This is not a case of rare or unforeseen complications — this is gross negligence, misleading follow-up, and lack of accountability. For three years, we were misinformed, falsely reassured, and denied proper evaluation, which directly delayed the correct treatment and put my father’s life at serious risk.Such conduct is unacceptable. It amounts to professional negligence and potential malpractice. Patients and families place immense trust in surgeons — trust that, in this case, was gravely betrayed. I would never advise anyone to ever go to Dr Meharwal ever if they really care about their lover ones.
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