Forceps left in patient's abdomen for 5 years: GMC Kozhikode seeks more time to complete probe

Kozhikode: Months after the Kerala State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) registered a case against the Kozhikode Government Medical College Hospital (MCH) after a woman filed a complaint alleging that the doctors left a surgical instrument inside her body during a caesarean surgery five years ago, the college authorities have sought more time from the commission to complete their probe into the incident.  

Requesting more time, the superintendent of the hospital on Tuesday conveyed the information to K. Baijunath, a judicial member Kerala State Human Rights Commission. The superintendent stated that the probe was not completed yet, as per a media report in the Hindu.  

Also Read:Medical board likely to look into woman's death due to alleged medical negligence at Kozhikode Medical College Hospital

The commission had registered a case against the Medical College Hospital in October 2022. The commission had issued an order at that time, stating that the hospital had made a grave and careless mistake, adding that the woman was subjected to indescribable pain because of their negligence. 

The medical college had set up an investigation panel consisting of heads of the departments of Surgical Gastroenterology, Surgery, and Plastic Surgery to complete the internal probe into the incident. 

Medical Dialogues team had earlier reported about a special inquiry committee, including officers from the Directorate of Medical Education, set up by the Additional Chief Secretary (Health) Asha Thomas to investigate the woman's complaint. The other members of the inquiry committee were Special Officer of the Directorate of Medical Education Abdul Rasheed as the coordinator, Joint Director of Nursing Education Saleena Shah, and Head of Forensic Medicine at Government Medical College, Kollam, Renju Raveendran. 

Acting on the woman's complaint, Health Minister Veena George had instructed Additional Chief Secretary Health and it is on the basis of her recommendation that a special committee was formed. 

The woman had undergone her third caesarean at Kozhikode Medical College in November 2017, following which she had begun experiencing pain. A CT scan revealed the presence of the instrument which was stuck to the urinary bladder and was causing the swelling. On September 17, 2022, the doctors of Kozhikode Medical College performed major surgery on the woman to remove the 'mosquito artery forceps' which was in her stomach for the past five years.