An orthopaedic surgeon is suing a colleague for allegedly telling other doctors he was a serial killer who murdered patients.

Dr Elie Khoury lodged his defamation case with the Victorian Supreme Court, claiming he suffered financial losses as a result of Dr David Kirwan’s 12-year campaign to destroy his reputation.

Both doctors practise in Albury-Wodonga on the Victorian border, where Dr Khoury is clinical director of orthopaedics at the Albury Base Hospital and Dr Kirwan, who denies any wrong-doing, works at a local private hospital.

Dr Khoury says the alleged campaign began after he declined Dr Kirwan’s 2008 offer to become a partner in his medical clinic.