Faulty administration of Injection Avastin : Ophthalmologist told to pay Rs 1 lakh

The patient alleged before the court that the doctor was engrossed in a conversation with the anaesthetist present in the operation theatre while injecting his eye, hence leading to the injury.

Ahmedabad: Holding negligence and deficiency on the part of an ophthalmologist in the administration of an injection Avastin that lead to vitreous Haemorrhage in the patient's eye, the Ahmedabad District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum recently asked the doctor to pay Rs 1 lakh as compensation to the patient.

The case relates to a patient who was treated by Dr Sunil Parekh for trouble with his right eye in December 2015 and January 2016. During the administration of the second injection, the patient complained of pain and vision loss.

Claiming negligence on the part of the doctor, the patient approached the consumer forum alleging that the needle penetrated in the patient's eye deeper than necessary, causing temporary vision loss.

The patient alleged before the court that the doctor was engrossed in a conversation with the anaesthetist present in the operation theatre while injecting his eye, hence leading to the injury.

He further claimed that the doctor had given him Avastin injection despite Avastin being banned by the central government during the time. He alleged that his other eye was also affected by the use of Avastin.

The case related to the time when the use of Avastin injection was prohibited briefly after 15 patients lost their sight after being treated at the AMC-run Nagri Hospital.

Denying the allegations, the doctor asserted that the patient was actually suffering from cataract. He contended that the patient was also mistaken about the use of Avastin after the Nagri Hospital episode a.

TOI reports that the doctor maintained that the trouble did not occur due to the Avastin injection, but due the vitreous haemorrhage, as a blood vessel may have been damaged, and the patient was treated for the same.

The court held that the doctor admitted that the vitreous haemorrhage had been caused due to the deeper than necessary penetration of the needle, which amounts to negligence and deficiency in service.

The forum then directed the ophthalmologist to pay a compensation amount of Rs 1 lakh with 8% interest to the patient along with legal costs of Rs 5,000 for the pain and extra expenditure incurred.

Also Read:Cataract Gone Wrong: Operating Surgeon Exonerated, But Attending doctor held guilty for negligence