6-year-old death case: Sassoon Hospital expert panel awaits forensic report

Pune: Three months after the death of a six-year-old girl following an eye procedure at Deenanath Mangeshkar Hospital, the expert committee at Sassoon General Hospital is yet to submit its report to the police, delaying the investigation into the alleged medical negligence.

The girl died on May 18 after being taken to the hospital for an eye examination under anaesthesia. Her family has been waiting for the investigation to move forward, but the police are still awaiting a forensic report needed by the Sassoon committee. 

The Sassoon General Hospital medical superintendent said the expert committee had already examined the documents received from the police but could not complete its assessment without the forensic report. 

“I have again sent a reminder message on Monday to the Alankar police station to send the documents. The forensic report is a crucial document, without which the medical negligence investigation cannot proceed,” he said. 

Medical Dialogues had earlier reported that a six-year-old girl died during an eye surgery at Deenanath Mangeshkar Hospital, following which her family staged a protest outside the hospital, alleging medical negligence and demanding a high-level inquiry into the incident.

Meanwhile, police said they were waiting for a chemical analysis report from the Regional Forensic Laboratory. According to police, several reminders had been sent, and personnel had also visited the laboratory multiple times to follow up on the report. 

The delay in the investigation has left the girl's family frustrated. Her father said three months had passed since they lost their daughter and expressed disappointment over the pace of the investigation. 

The case began after the child died following an eye-related procedure at Deenanath Mangeshkar Hospital. The Pune Municipal Corporation had formed a four-member preliminary inquiry committee to examine the allegations.

The PMC committee reportedly found that certain essential tests, including an X-ray, ECG and 2D Echo, had not been conducted. It also noted that post-operative blood tests indicated a possible bleeding disorder and recommended further examination by the Sassoon expert committee.

According to a report by TOI, "This was not a surgery, nor an invasive procedure. Only after the child’s pre-operative tests confirmed her fitness, was she taken into an OT (Operation Theatre). She was administered anesthesia into the eyes, and using a speculum, her eye investigation was completed in 25 minutes. When the doctor started the standard procedure for anesthesia withdrawal and removed the laryngeal airway mask as part of the procedure, the girl coughed up blood. She could not be revived despite all efforts by intensivists, paediatricians, pulmonologists, ENT doctors and other specialist doctors. She was declared dead at 1.44 pm the same day."

Sassoon General Hospital had formed the expert committee to investigate the allegations of medical negligence, while Deenanath Mangeshkar Hospital had also initiated an internal inquiry after the child's death.

The hospital had stated that the child was admitted for an eye examination under anaesthesia to assess intraocular pressure, fundus, glaucoma and refraction. It said the procedure was completed in about 25 minutes and that the child developed bleeding after the laryngeal airway mask was removed during anaesthesia withdrawal. Despite efforts by several specialists, she could not be revived and was declared dead at 1.44 pm on May 18.

The police investigation and medical negligence inquiry remain pending as authorities await the forensic report.