Hospital Absolved, but Doctor fined Rs 41 lakh in medical negligence case
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Mumbai: Calling it not a case of accident but blameworthy rashness, the Maharashtra State consumer dispute redressal commission was seen ordering a doctor to pay a compensation of Rs 41 lakh in a case of medical negligence that led to the death of a female patient 15 years ago.
The commission observed that Dr Ashit Hegde, intensivist attached to PD Hinduja Hospital lacked skill and due care while treating her for collection of fluid around her lungs that resulted in a rupture of her spleen leading to her death.
The case was that of a 35 year old female, who had come to casualty to the hospital, with complaints of breathlessness and chest pain. She had earlier been advised hospitalization on account of suspected hepatitis. At the casualty Dr Hedge diagnosed her with Plerual Effusion and began treatment with procedure of tapping to take out excess fluid.
The family of the patient alleged that the doctor was negligent during treatment and punctured her spleen while doing tapping for Pleural Effusion, leading to internal bleeding and her eventual death. The counsel for the patient argued that that negligence was evident, as while tapping her with a needle twice to clear the effusion, Dr Hedge had failed to take help of an ultrasound. "There was profuse internal bleeding," he said. A scan showed that the needle had punctured the spleen. The doctor then admitted her and sought to remove the spleen.
The commission observed that Dr Ashit Hegde, intensivist attached to PD Hinduja Hospital lacked skill and due care while treating her for collection of fluid around her lungs that resulted in a rupture of her spleen leading to her death.
The case was that of a 35 year old female, who had come to casualty to the hospital, with complaints of breathlessness and chest pain. She had earlier been advised hospitalization on account of suspected hepatitis. At the casualty Dr Hedge diagnosed her with Plerual Effusion and began treatment with procedure of tapping to take out excess fluid.
The family of the patient alleged that the doctor was negligent during treatment and punctured her spleen while doing tapping for Pleural Effusion, leading to internal bleeding and her eventual death. The counsel for the patient argued that that negligence was evident, as while tapping her with a needle twice to clear the effusion, Dr Hedge had failed to take help of an ultrasound. "There was profuse internal bleeding," he said. A scan showed that the needle had punctured the spleen. The doctor then admitted her and sought to remove the spleen.
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