Delay in removal of Tourniquet leads to death of 17-year-old Footballer: AP Orthopedics, CMO suspended for negligence

Chennai: The Tamil Nadu government has suspended two doctors for medical negligence following the death of a 17-year-old football player in a Chennai hospital.

According to recent media reports, a 17-year-old football player, Priya R, lost her life due to multi-organ failure following complications from an alleged botched arthroscopic surgery to fix a ligament at a government hospital in Tamil Nadu's Chennai. After developing complications, she had to undergo an amputation of her right leg at Rajiv Gandhi Government hospital.

Thereafter, 2 doctors of the Government Peripheral Hospital were placed under suspension for alleged medical negligence.

"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, reports the HT.

As per the reports, the patient had gone for knee surgery (right leg) at Government Peripheral Hospital, Periyar Nagar. Following the complications in her health, she was shifted to Chennai's Rajiv Gandhi Government hospital last Tuesday.

The patient passed away due to complications in her liver, heart & kidney. It was alleged that after her initial surgery at the Periyar Nagar Hospital on November 7, she began having pain in her legs. She was then prescribed a tight compression bandage and medicines for the pain. Over a suspected blood clot in her legs, she was transferred to Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital, where the doctors stated that the tissues in her right leg were dead and recommended an amputation.

The girl's right leg was amputated on November 9, but her condition worsened following which a follow-up surgery was performed on her on Monday. The reports revealed that the negligence of Periyar Nagar Hospital led to the amputation of her leg at Rajiv Gandhi Hospital. "Priya did not respond to the treatment where she died today morning," it added. The patient after remaining on a ventilator.

After receiving the body, the family members ted protesting with their demand for immediate action from the police into this matter. The protest erupted after girl's body was carried out from the mortuary after a post-mortem.

The police have assured action into the matter on the basis of the post-mortem report. "There are two types of action one being departmental has been taken by the Dean and Health Minister that the doctors accused of the alleged case have been transferred and suspended," said DCP Chennai Albert John to ANI. The other one is on the basis of criminal culpability, for which we have registered a First Information Report, he added.

"We have registered an FIR on the basis of criminal culpability. The autopsy has already been done and action will be taken on the basis of its reports. We will also see what charges need to be imposed more after the recommendation of the doctor's committee," the DCP said further. He continued by mentioning that the final postmortem report will only suggest the action to be taken in the matter.

Notably, the Director of Medical Education in an official statement has informed that the Assistant professor of the Orthopedic department, and the casualty medical officer at the Government Peripheral hospital Periyar Nagar have been suspended.

Meanwhile, an official statement from the dean of Rajiv Gandhi Government hospital Theranirajan disclosed that there was a delay in the removal of tourniquet (which is applied during the surgery to reduce the blood flow and has to be removed then) to the site of injury and caused necrosis of tissues and vessels as a result of which the 17-year old player developed "unstability".

"Normally during the surgery, they apply tourniquet. So tourniquet is applied to reduce the blood supply to the site of surgery. After the surgery, it has to be removed but there was a delay. This caused necrosis of the tissues and the vessels also accluded resulting in she developing unstability. BP was not able to record, acclusion of the blood vessel, you know blood vessel is very very important for circulation and viability of the tissues," a statement from the Rajiv Gandhi hospital said.

"Before that she had developed myglobilinia. Myglobin is excreted via kidney and then kidney failed, liver failed and she had multiple organ failure," it added mentioning that the girl had gone through an arthroscopic surgery in which a ligament tear was refixed.

Tamil Nadu Health Minister Subramanian Ma said, "Two doctors negligent in Priya's treatment have been suspended." He added, "The surgery was fine but the compression bandage was put so tight that it stopped blood circulation. We've also initiated a police investigation and suspended two doctors." Chief Minister MK Stalin, meanwhile, announced Rs 10 lakh as compensation, and announced a government job for one of her family members.