Surgical instrument found in Kerala woman’s abdomen 5 years after surgery

A surgical instrument was discovered in a Kerala woman's abdomen five years post-surgery, prompting an inquiry into medical negligence.

Kerala’s Health Minister Veena George has ordered an inquiry into the startling discovery of an artery forceps in the abdomen of a woman who underwent surgery at the Government Medical College Hospital, Alappuzha, in 2021.

The patient, Usha Joseph, had undergone surgery for uterine fibroid removal at the hospital. Her son, Shibin, told reporters that she developed discomfort and experienced bouts of abdominal pain. She approached the hospital several times, but the doctors were allegedly dismissive and failed to identify the source of her discomfort.

Mr Shibin said his mother recently consulted another doctor for abdominal pain. He told her it could be a kidney stone and asked her to undergo an X-ray examination. The examination report revealed the surgical instrument. 

When confronted, the MCH doctors agreed to remove the forceps. However, the family declined and shifted Ms Joseph to a private hospital in Ernakulam. Mr Shibin alleged that the MCH authorities dared him to file a medical negligence complaint and turned down his request for compensation. 

The family also raised allegations against Dr. Lalithambika, a surgeon who retired recently from the hospital. Mr Shibin said he had visited the doctor privately several times but to no avail.

Dr. Lalithambika denied the charges. She said the surgery was slated during her superannuation period. “I was not doing major surgeries at the fag end of my service, though I was the unit chief. Moreover, the surgery happened during the COVID period, when I was saddled with other duties,” she said.