Kerala hospital denies laxity as forceps found in stomach of woman

Medical college principal Dr EV Gopi said the patient, M Harshina, had undergone two other surgeries in private hospitals and the instrument recovered was not the one used in medical college hospital.

A day after a woman patient filed a complaint against doctors for leaving a forceps in her body after a caesarean five years ago, the Kozhikode medical college hospital denied any lapse on its part and said the removed instrument was not used in the hospital.

A day after a woman patient filed a complaint against doctors for leaving a forceps in her body after a caesarean five years ago, the Kozhikode medical college hospital denied any lapse on its part and said the removed instrument was not used in the hospital. (HT PHOTO)

Medical college principal Dr EV Gopi said the patient, M Harshina, had undergone two other surgeries in private hospitals and the instrument recovered was not the one used in medical college hospital. “Our records on the particular day list all equipments used in the surgery. And the recovered forceps was not the one used in our hospital,” the principal said, adding the patient had undergone two other minor surgeries in private hospitals.

Doctors at the medical college hospital had conducted a surgery on the patient on Sept 17 to remove “mosquito artery forceps” from her stomach after an X-ray revealed its presence - forceps is a scissor-like instrument used by surgeons during surgeries. But Harshina, who suffered excruciating pain and other problems, denied this. She said earlier there were many attempts to hush up the case and she will pursue her case vigorously. She had undergone C-section in November 2017.

“After the health minister ordered a probe, doctors are passing the buck. I have really suffered due to negligence of doctors. Suspecting kidney ailment to urinary tract infection, I was forced to take several rounds of antibiotics and other medicines,” she said. Health minister Veena George had ordered a probe on Saturday. “We will take strong action against those responsible for the serious lapse,” she said. The medical college has also ordered a probe into the incident.

Meanwhile, the state women commission has sought action against erring doctors. “It is really shocking she had to live with it for almost five years. We hope the government will take strict action and extract enough compensation from those responsible for it,” said commission chairperson Sathi Devi.