Patient dies days after kidney stone treatment at Secunderabad hospital, family alleges negligence

Hyderabad: A young advocate has died at a hospital in Secunderabad days after being admitted for treatment of kidney stones, with her family alleging medical negligence and seeking a detailed account of the treatment being provided. 

According to the family, the woman was admitted on October 6 with kidney stones measuring around 2 mm and was initially told she could be discharged the next day. However, her condition subsequently deteriorated, and she was shifted to the medical ICU. The family said doctors later informed them that an infection had spread through her body and that she had suffered severe brain injury. She died on October 13.

The family has questioned how a patient admitted for a small kidney stone developed life-threatening complications. The exact medical circumstances that led to her deterioration and death have not been publicly established.

The family also alleged that they spent several lakh rupees on her treatment and were repeatedly asked to make further payments. A relative questioned the restrictions on family members entering the ICU on infection-control grounds, alleging that hospital staff were entering the area wearing shoes.

According to the Daily, responding to the allegations at a press conference, a doctor from Medicover Hospital said the patient had been given stronger antibiotics and was shifted to the medical ICU after her blood pressure dropped. The family has disputed aspects of the hospital’s account, including the timeline of her transfer to the ICU.

After her death, family members, colleagues and members of the legal community protested outside the hospital, seeking accountability and a clear explanation of the events that led to her death. The family has also sought the intervention of the Telangana health minister.

The case has also drawn political attention amid an ongoing dispute involving the hospital and leaders of the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS). Dr Manne Krishank, a Bharat Rashtra Samithi spokesperson, wrote on X that the advocate had come in with a two-millimetre stone. He alleged the hospital collected Rs 9 lakh and "killed the patient", The Pioneer reported.

As per available reports, no official findings confirming medical negligence have been made public. The circumstances of the patient’s deterioration, the treatment decisions taken and the cause of death remain to be clarified by the hospital and the relevant authorities.