Associate Professor Munjed Al Muderis is not a monster, but there is a public interest in reporting when his surgical operations fail, as they have for dozens of people, a defamation trial has been told.

The Sydney orthopaedic surgeon is suing Nine Entertainment over newspaper and TV reports alleging negligence and high-pressure sales tactics in relation to his prosthetic limb implants.

The company’s barrister, Matthew Collins KC, acknowledged that many former patients considered Professor Al Muderis a hero but others — including 30 expected to give evidence — had a different opinion.

“Many will say that he ruined their lives,” Mr Collins told the Federal Court of Australia on Tuesday.