Three member panel to probe allegations of forceps left in patient's abdomen at GMC Kozhikode
Kozhikode: Days after a 30-year-old woman filed a complaint against doctors associated with Government Medical College Kozhikode (GMC Kozhikode) for leaving forceps inside her body while performing a caesarean on her five years ago, the Kozhikode Government Medical College Hospital formed a three-member committee to probe the allegations.
The panel members consist of heads of the departments of Surgical Gastroenterology, Surgery, and Plastic Surgery of the medical college.
The hospital had earlier denied any lapses on its part alleging that the instrument which was removed from her body was not used in the hospital. However, a voice clip had reportedly come out in which the doctors are admitting to the negligence from their side, reports On Manorama.
The woman had undergone her third caesarean at Kozhikode Medical College in November 2017, following which she had begun experiencing pain, which was reported by the Medical Dialogues team earlier. Her first two deliveries took place in private hospitals. A CT scan revealed the presence of the instrument which was stuck to the urinary bladder and was causing the swelling, reports the Hindu.
On September 17, 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. She told reporters, "After the third surgery, I began feeling severe pain. I thought it was due to the caesarean surgery. I approached many doctors…I thought either I had kidney stones or some sort of cancer," adding, "Apparently, the metal object was poking my urinary bladder and was causing infection. The pain became unbearable."
The alleged voice clip is reported to be a conversation between the doctors and the woman's relatives, in which the doctors are allegedly admitting that the Superintendent of the Medical College has confirmed the instrument removed from her body belonged to the medical college.
However, the Kozhikode Medical College principal Dr E V Gopi had earlier stated that the instrument removed from her body was not the one used in their medical college, adding that the patient had also undergone two minor surgeries in private hospitals which could not be completely absolved of any responsibility as well.
Based on the woman's complaint, the Kerala State Health Minister Veena George on Saturday had ordered a probe and asked the Health Secretary to submit a report soon. The principal stated that the Kozhikode Medical College have also ordered a probe.
The Kerala Women's Commission has sought compensation for the physical and mental trauma suffered by the woman. P. Sathidevi, chairperson of the commission said that the compensation amount should be charged to the doctors who had performed the surgery on the woman.
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