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TN: 17-yr-old footballer dies after botched surgery; two doctors suspended
Her leg had to be amputated after she underwent a surgery last week in another hospital for a ligament tear on her knee and she died at 7:15am due to multiorgan failure
Tamil Nadu government suspended two doctors for medical negligence following the death of a teenage footballer in a Chennai hospital.
17-year-old R Priya was a first-year student of B.Sc Physical Education.
Her leg had to be amputated after she underwent a surgery last week in another hospital for a ligament tear on her knee. She died at 7:15am due to multiorgan failure.
To fix the ligament on her right knee, Priya was admitted to the Periyar Nagar Government Peripheral Hospital where she underwent an arthroscopy, a minimally invasive surgical procedure, on November 7.
“Due to carelessness of the doctors who performed the surgery, the compression bandage was too tight which caused extensive damage to blood flow and led to the death of blood vessels and she was in great pain,” said a statement from the health department.
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On the following day she was shifted to the Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital (RGGGH) where the doctors said her leg had to be amputated on November 9 to save her life.
She was being treated by senior physicians while she was in the ICU.
“She was suffering from damage to her kidney, liver and heart because of her blood flow being affected,” the health department said.
“An inquiry has found negligence on the doctors who performed the surgery.”
The state government on Monday transferred the two surgeons – Dr A Paul Ram Sankar, assistant professor, orthopedics and Dr K Somasundar, casualty medical officer of the Periyar Nagar Government Periphery Hospital.
Following her death, the government issues suspension orders for the two surgeons. The post mortem was completed on Tuesday.
“Based on the preliminary post mortem report, the police will initiate criminal proceedings,” said Dr Therani Raja, dean, Madras Medical College and RGGGH.
There was heavy police deployment in the hospital as Priya’s family protested demanding immediate action.
Family members said Priya was occupied in studies and football practice.
“My child is only 17 years old. We trusted a government hospital and she is dead today,” said Priya’s mother.
“The doctors said it was a small operation on her right knee ligament. My daughter suffered in pain after the surgery. Every time she cried, they gave her an injection and she’d sleep. The doctors have to be arrested.”
Health minister M Subramanian told reporters that the treatment given to Priya was correct.
“But there has been medical negligence,” the minister said.
“When I came here the day before, she was fine. We had also informed the hospital (RGGGH) that we will arrange a robotic artificial limb from Bengaluru when she recovers. The child’s death has pained all of us.” Tamil Nadu government has offered ₹10 lakh as compensation and a government job for one of her three brothers.
Priya’s father had already requested the minister for a government job for his daughter while she was in the hospital.
“They are already in poverty so her father had requested a government job which we will give to one of her brothers”, he added.
