Medical Dialogues
  • Dermatology
Login Register
This site is intended for healthcare professionals only
Login Register
  • MD Brand Connect
  • Vaccine Hub
  • MDTV
    • Breaking News
    • Medical News Today
    • Health News Today
    • Latest
    • Journal Club
    • Medico Legal Update
    • Latest Webinars
    • MD Shorts
    • Health Dialogues
  • Fact Check
  • Health Dialogues
Medical Dialogues
  • Medical News & Guidelines
      • Anesthesiology
      • Cardiology and CTVS
      • Critical Care
      • Dentistry
      • Dermatology
      • Diabetes and Endocrinology
      • ENT
      • Gastroenterology
      • Medicine
      • Nephrology
      • Neurology
      • Obstretics-Gynaecology
      • Oncology
      • Ophthalmology
      • Orthopaedics
      • Pediatrics-Neonatology
      • Psychiatry
      • Pulmonology
      • Radiology
      • Surgery
      • Urology
      • Laboratory Medicine
      • Diet
      • Nursing
      • Paramedical
      • Physiotherapy
  • Health news
      • Doctor News
      • Government Policies
      • Hospital & Diagnostics
      • International Health News
      • Medical Organization News
      • Medico Legal News
      • NBE News
      • NMC News
  • Fact Check
      • Bone Health Fact Check
      • Brain Health Fact Check
      • Cancer Related Fact Check
      • Child Care Fact Check
      • Dental and oral health fact check
      • Diabetes and metabolic health fact check
      • Diet and Nutrition Fact Check
      • Eye and ENT Care Fact Check
      • Fitness fact check
      • Gut health fact check
      • Heart health fact check
      • Kidney health fact check
      • Medical education fact check
      • Men's health fact check
      • Respiratory fact check
      • Skin and hair care fact check
      • Vaccine and Immunization fact check
      • Women's health fact check
  • AYUSH
    • Ayurveda
    • Homeopathy
    • Siddha
    • Unani
    • Yoga
  • State News
      • Andaman and Nicobar Islands
      • Andhra Pradesh
      • Arunachal Pradesh
      • Assam
      • Bihar
      • Chandigarh
      • Chattisgarh
      • Dadra and Nagar Haveli
      • Daman and Diu
      • Delhi
      • Goa
      • Gujarat
      • Haryana
      • Himachal Pradesh
      • Jammu & Kashmir
      • Jharkhand
      • Karnataka
      • Kerala
      • Ladakh
      • Lakshadweep
      • Madhya Pradesh
      • Maharashtra
      • Manipur
      • Meghalaya
      • Mizoram
      • Nagaland
      • Odisha
      • Puducherry
      • Punjab
      • Rajasthan
      • Sikkim
      • Tamil Nadu
      • Telangana
      • Tripura
      • Uttar Pradesh
      • Uttrakhand
      • West Bengal
  • Medical Education
      • Ayush Education News
      • Dentistry Education News
      • Medical Admission News
      • Medical Colleges News
      • Medical Courses News
      • Medical Universities News
      • Nursing education News
      • Paramedical Education News
      • Study Abroad
  • Industry
      • Health Investment News
      • Health Startup News
      • Medical Devices News
      • Pharma News
      • Pharmacy Education News
      • Industry Perspective
  • MDTV
      • Health Dialogues MDTV
      • Health News today MDTV
      • Latest Videos MDTV
      • Latest Webinars MDTV
      • MD shorts MDTV
      • Medical News Today MDTV
      • Medico Legal Update MDTV
      • Top Videos MDTV
      • Health Perspectives MDTV
      • Journal Club MDTV
      • Medical Dialogues Show
This site is intended for healthcare professionals only
LoginRegister
Medical Dialogues
LoginRegister
  • Home
  • Medical news & Guidelines
    • Anesthesiology
    • Cardiology and CTVS
    • Critical Care
    • Dentistry
    • Dermatology
    • Diabetes and Endocrinology
    • ENT
    • Gastroenterology
    • Medicine
    • Nephrology
    • Neurology
    • Obstretics-Gynaecology
    • Oncology
    • Ophthalmology
    • Orthopaedics
    • Pediatrics-Neonatology
    • Psychiatry
    • Pulmonology
    • Radiology
    • Surgery
    • Urology
    • Laboratory Medicine
    • Diet
    • Nursing
    • Paramedical
    • Physiotherapy
  • Health news
    • Doctor News
    • Government Policies
    • Hospital & Diagnostics
    • International Health News
    • Medical Organization News
    • Medico Legal News
    • NBE News
    • NMC News
  • Fact Check
    • Bone Health Fact Check
    • Brain Health Fact Check
    • Cancer Related Fact Check
    • Child Care Fact Check
    • Dental and oral health fact check
    • Diabetes and metabolic health fact check
    • Diet and Nutrition Fact Check
    • Eye and ENT Care Fact Check
    • Fitness fact check
    • Gut health fact check
    • Heart health fact check
    • Kidney health fact check
    • Medical education fact check
    • Men's health fact check
    • Respiratory fact check
    • Skin and hair care fact check
    • Vaccine and Immunization fact check
    • Women's health fact check
  • AYUSH
    • Ayurveda
      • Ayurveda Giuidelines
      • Ayurveda News
    • Homeopathy
      • Homeopathy Guidelines
      • Homeopathy News
    • Siddha
      • Siddha Guidelines
      • Siddha News
    • Unani
      • Unani Guidelines
      • Unani News
    • Yoga
      • Yoga Guidelines
      • Yoga News
  • State News
    • Andaman and Nicobar Islands
    • Andhra Pradesh
    • Arunachal Pradesh
    • Assam
    • Bihar
    • Chandigarh
    • Chattisgarh
    • Dadra and Nagar Haveli
    • Daman and Diu
    • Delhi
    • Goa
    • Gujarat
    • Haryana
    • Himachal Pradesh
    • Jammu & Kashmir
    • Jharkhand
    • Karnataka
    • Kerala
    • Ladakh
    • Lakshadweep
    • Madhya Pradesh
    • Maharashtra
    • Manipur
    • Meghalaya
    • Mizoram
    • Nagaland
    • Odisha
    • Puducherry
    • Punjab
    • Rajasthan
    • Sikkim
    • Tamil Nadu
    • Telangana
    • Tripura
    • Uttar Pradesh
    • Uttrakhand
    • West Bengal
  • Medical Education
    • Ayush Education News
    • Dentistry Education News
    • Medical Admission News
    • Medical Colleges News
    • Medical Courses News
    • Medical Universities News
    • Nursing education News
    • Paramedical Education News
    • Study Abroad
  • Industry
    • Health Investment News
    • Health Startup News
    • Medical Devices News
    • Pharma News
      • CDSCO (Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation) News
    • Pharmacy Education News
    • Industry Perspective
  • Home
  • News
  • Health news
  • Medico Legal News
  • Leg Amputation After...

Leg Amputation After Hysterectomy due to alleged delay in treatment: Madras HC Slaps Compensation on State

Barsha MisraWritten by Barsha Misra Published On 2025-01-15T16:28:42+05:30  |  Updated On 15 Jan 2025 6:56 PM IST
Madras HC Allows Doctors to undergo SuperSpeciality Course first and complete bond service later

Madras High Court

  • facebook
  • twitter
  • linkedin
  • whatsapp
  • Telegram
  • Email

Madurai: The Madurai bench of Madras High Court recently directed the State Government to pay Rs 5 lakh compensation to a patient for medical negligence by causing delay in treatment. The patient had undergone a hysterectomy at the treating hospital, however, when she felt pain in her right leg during recovery from anaesthesia, it was amputated.

Even though the HC bench held that there was no medical negligence on the part of the doctors at Virudhunagar District Head Quarters Government Hospital, where the patient was treated, it noted that there was no specialist doctor and the post of radiologist was also vacant. Therefore, when the patient felt intolerable pain in her right leg after the surgery, the hospital failed to look into the pain and even failed to advise her to go for higher treatment.

Therefore, there was a delay in the diagnosis of the blockage of the Arterial occlusion vessel, leading to the amputation of her right leg. Accordingly, holding that there was negligence on the part of the hospital leading to the amputation of the petitioner's right leg, the HC bench ordered the State Government to pay Rs 5 lakh compensation to the petitioner.

"Accordingly, the first respondent is directed to disburse a sum of Rs.5,00,000/- (Rupees five lakhs only) as compensation to the petitioner within a period of four weeks from the date of receipt of a copy of this order. It is made clear that there will not be any recovery from the concerned doctors and they are not liable for any charge of negligence," ordered the HC bench comprising Justice G.K.Ilanthiraiyan.

Also Read: NCDRC upholds Rs 50 lakh compensation on Fortis Hospital Neurosurgeons over Lack of pre-op tests, Informed Consent

The petitioner was admitted to Virudhunagar District Head Quarters Government Hospital for her stomach pain. Consequently, the hospital advised her to undergo immediate surgery. Therefore, the petitioner was admitted to the hospital on 01.05.2019 for the removal of the uterus. On 02.05.2019, the surgery for removing the uterus was conducted. Following this, the patient was shifted to the general ward.

However, after recovering from the anaesthesia, the patient felt heavy pain in her right leg. Allegedly, even though the patient informed the doctors of the treating hospital about this pain, she was not given any treatment for her leg pain. The petitioner alleged that the hospital failed to bring the super speciality senior doctors from the nearby medical college for higher treatment.

It was submitted, on 08.05.2019, one female doctor visited the petitioner and shouted at the nurse and doctors of the hospital for the delay caused to bring the super-speciality doctors. Immediately, she was advised to take a scan. Thereafter, she was taken to a private scan centre and even then, allegedly, the report was not looked into by the super-speciality doctor for two days since the super-speciality doctor visited the treating hospital.

On 09.05.2019, one Speciality Medical Chief Doctor came to the Madurai Rajaji Government Hospital and he examined the petitioner and advised for immediate transfer of the petitioner to Madurai Rajaji Hospital due to the petitioner's health condition. It was revealed that the petitioner had blood clot in her right leg and there was no blood circulation throughout the leg.

Following this, the doctor and hospital decided to amputate the petitioner's right leg completely. Therefore, surgery was done and the petitioner's right leg was amputated. As a result, the patient became unable to walk, stand, and move anywhere. Filing the petition, she argued that if the hospital had provided her treatment at the right time, the petitioner's right leg would not have to be amputated.

On the other hand, the hospital and the Government Advocate submitted that the scan report revealed that the patient's uterus was removed by surgery and after that, she was kept under observation and thereafter, she became completely normal. However, on 06.05.2019, the patient required A+ blood and it was transmitted to her. Consequently, she felt severe pain in her right leg and immediately, the Surgeon along with the physician visited the petitioner and she was administered painkillers by injection and was advised to undergo a scan.

After perusing the Doppler scan reported dated 08.05.2019, it was found that the Arterial Occlusion Vessel was blocked and it had happened to a diabetic patient. Meanwhile, during his visit to the hospital, a vascular surgeon suggested shifting the patient to Madurai Rajaji Hospital for higher treatment. Thereafter, she had undergone surgery and due to advice of the specialist surgeon her right leg was amputated; therefore, the treating hospital argued that there was no medical negligence on the part of the treating hospital.

Taking note of the Supreme Court orders, cited by the hospital, the HC bench noted that "Therefore, the negligence on the liability can be fixed either a person did not possess the requisite skills which the doctor professed to have possess or the doctor did not exercise with reasonable competence in given case the skill which he did possess."

Accordingly, the Court held, "Therefore, there is no negligence on the part of the third respondent and the claim of the petitioner cannot be granted and prayed for dismissal of the writ petition."

However, after perusing the records, the HC bench found that even though the patient suffered severe pain in her right leg after the uterus removal surgery on 02.05.2019, the Court observed that only on 08.05.2019, the speciality doctor visited the treating hospital and advised to go for a scan since the post of Radiologist was vacant at the treating hospital. Accordingly, the patient was advised to undergo a private scan, which revealed that the Arterial Occlusion Vessel was blocked.

"...however, there is no speciality doctor to look into the scan report. Only on 09.05.2019 the speciality had come from Madurai Rajaji Government Hospital and advised her for higher treatment. Thereafter she had undergone surgery and due to which, her right leg has been completely amputated," noted the High Court.

"...admittedly, the petitioner suffered with untollerable pain on her right leg, even then, the third respondent failed to look into the pain even advised to go for higher treatment. Admittedly, the third respondent hospital did not have any speciality doctor and even the post of radiologist kept vacant. After a period of 6 days, she was advised to go for scan, that too, when the speciality doctor visited the third respondent hospital. Further, even after the scan report was not suggested for any consultation. She was asked to wait till the visitation of the speciality doctor from the Madurai Rajaji Government Hospital. Only on 09.05.2019 the speciality doctor from Madurai Rajaji Government Hospital had visited the petitioner and immediately advised for higher treatment at Madurai. By that time, the entire blood circulation was stopped and it requires amputation. The amputation was happened only due to delay on the part of the third respondent," further observed the HC bench.

Therefore, the Court opined that "prima facie shows that only the negligence on the part of the third respondent hospital the petitioner's right leg got amputated and now she could not able to even stand or walk."

At this outset, the HC bench relied on an earlier order of the Madras HC in the case of Tamil Selvi Vs. The state of Tamil Nadu and others, and took note of the corpus fund created for the compensation in medical mishaps.

Accordingly, the Court directed the State Government to disburse Rs 5 lakh as compensation to the petitioner, while making it clear that there would not be any recovery from the concerned doctors and that the doctors were not liable for any charge of negligence.

To view the order, click on the link below:

https://medicaldialogues.in/pdf_upload/madras-hc-order-269234.pdf

Also Read: Medical Negligence in Post-Operative Care: Supreme Court slaps compensation on Eye Surgeon

madras high courtmedical negligenceamputationhysterectomycompensation
Barsha Misra
Barsha Misra

Barsha completed her Master's in English from the University of Burdwan, West Bengal in 2018. Having a knack for Journalism she joined Medical Dialogues back in 2020. She mainly covers news about medico legal cases, NMC/DCI updates, medical education issues including the latest updates about medical and dental colleges in India. She can be contacted at editorial@medicaldialogues.in.

Show Full Article
Next Story

Editorial

Aspirin Use in Male Smokers Aged 40-45 Years with Hypertension: Identifying the Ideal Candidates

Aspirin Use in Male Smokers Aged 40-45 Years with Hypertension: Identifying the Ideal Candidates

National Consensus 2025 on Role of Bisoprolol Across CV Continuum in Women: Top 10 Takeaways

National Consensus 2025 on Role of Bisoprolol Across CV Continuum in Women: Top 10 Takeaways

Relevance of Pioglitazone in Indian T2DM Care Continuum

Relevance of Pioglitazone in Indian T2DM Care Continuum

Azmarda Outperforms Generic Sacubitril/Valsartan in HFrEF Management, says new study

Azmarda Outperforms Generic Sacubitril/Valsartan in HFrEF Management, says new study

First Indian Consensus on Managing Refractory Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease Recommends Vonoprazan

First Indian Consensus on Managing Refractory Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease Recommends Vonoprazan

View All

Journal Club Today

Global Omega-3 Shortage Poses Serious Health and Environmental Risks: Study

Global Omega-3 Shortage Poses Serious Health and Environmental Risks: Study

View All

Health News Today

Health Bulletin 30/May/2025

Health Bulletin 30/May/2025

View All
© 2022 All Rights Reserved.
Powered By: Hocalwire
X
We use cookies for analytics, advertising and to improve our site. You agree to our use of cookies by continuing to use our site. To know more, see our Cookie Policy and Cookie Settings.Ok