Alappuzha: A case has been filed against a doctor following a surgical incident at Alappuzha Medical College Hospital, in which a surgical instrument became lodged in the abdomen of 51-year-old Usha Joseph from Punnapra South.
The case has been registered against Dr Lalithambica, former head of the gynaecology department at the medical college, for allegedly acting negligently in a manner that endangered the patient's life. Sections 125 and 125A of the BNS, which allow for bail, have been invoked.
Following the incident, the medical education director suspended Dr J. Shahida, associate professor of gynaecology who led the surgery, and nurse P.S. Dhanya. Health Minister Veena George had previously indicated that a case would be filed against Dr Shahida.
The surgery, conducted on May 12, 2021, was performed by a nine-member team under Dr Shahida's leadership. Senior residents, postgraduate doctors, three anaesthesiologists, and three nurses were also present. Hospital records indicate that all surgical instruments were checked before and after the operation, though there is now suspicion that a lapse occurred.
An initial investigative report downplayed the severity, citing COVID-19-related restrictions as a contributing factor. The four-member committee appointed by the principal submitted its preliminary findings to the medical education director on Friday, acknowledging that a procedural lapse had indeed occurred.
The surgery had been conducted in full PPE, with strict adherence to COVID-19 protocols, limiting normal operating procedures. The investigation team, led by R.M.O. Dr Lakshmi and including Dr N.R. Sajikumar, Dr Anasuya Rajeev, and Dr Rakhi, concluded that procedural constraints may have contributed to the oversight.
Usha Josep is reportedly undergoing surgery at Amrita Hospital on Saturday to remove the instrument.
Dr Lalithambica clarified that the object was not a surgical blade but a "Mosquito" instrument used to control bleeding, and claimed that even if it remained in the abdomen for 50 years, it would not have caused harm. She noted that instruments must be properly logged and checked before and after surgery, a procedure often neglected in government hospitals due to staffing limitations. Usha had undergone a previous abdominal surgery 20 years ago, which now the officials claim could also have contributed to the complication.