A famous Romanian orthopedic surgeon, Gheorghe Burnei, was arrested on Saturday on charges of bribery.

However, he is also suspected of having carried out unauthorized experiments on the children he operated, which may have led to the death or permanent disability of some of his patients.

The Romanian prosecutors started an investigation on Burnei after a journalistic investigation published by local Casa Jurnalistului on Friday. The article told the story of a baby girl who went trough some 16 years of painful surgeries and remained with severe disabilities after being operated by Burnei as a baby for a displaced hip. The surgeon apparently used an unauthorised implant to treat her, an experimental procedure which didn't work.

On Saturday, the prosecutors held Burnei after carrying out searches at the public hospital where he worked, namely the Marie Curie Children’s Hospital in Bucharest, reports local News.ro.

The investigators think that the surgeon may have implanted unapproved ceramic devices, cow bone fragments, and even tank filter fragments to some of his patients. He also allegedly used common screws from the hardware store for his implants, according to judicial sources.

In the searches, the prosecutors apparently found money envelopes in books at the Marie Curie hospital.

Gheorghe Burnei allegedly told parents that only he could make their children better, through surgery, although some deficiencies were inoperable. Moreover, he kept children admitted in the hospital indefinitely and postponed the surgery until parents would pay him.

Hospital manager in Romania arrested for bribery and embezzlement after journalistic investigation

editor@romania-insider.com