In a shocking incident of medical negligence, a 45-year-old woman who underwent surgery was found to have a pair of surgical scissors left behind, stitched into her abdominal cavity.

The woman, a native of Palayamkottai town in Tirunelveli district, underwent an operation on May 24, 2018, following complaints of severe stomach pain and was taken up for surgery. While she initially seemed to be making good recovery following the procedure, a few weeks back she began complaining of severe stomach pain, nausea and vomiting. She went back to the same hospital to consult with the doctor. A scan was done which revealed the presence of a pair of surgical scissors in her abdomen, presumably left behind during the course of the previous procedure.

The doctor took her up for surgery again, to remove the scissors. Following her discharge, the woman filed a case of negligence with the Tirunelveli Commissioner of Police, where the case is currently being investigated. “A few months after the first surgery, she began having stomach pain and came to visit the doctor again. When the scan was done, they discovered the error which had happened and took her for another surgery immediately. After she recovered, she came and lodged a complaint with the commissioner,” Palayankottai police told TNM.

While the first procedure was done at Galaxy hospital by the doctor, the second procedure was done by the same doctor at Annabhagyam hospital.

In a similar instance of negligence which took place in Allahabad in December 2017, doctors had left behind a pair of surgical scissors in a woman following a Caesarean section. The woman subsequently presented with severe abdominal pain following the procedure, upon which the scissors were discovered. However, her condition deteriorated and she tragically succumbed to an infection which was presumed to have been brought on by the scissors which had been left behind.  

This story was originally published on The News Minute and is reprinted here with permission. It can be viewed on https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/tn-doc-leaves-behind-scissors-woman-s-abdomen-during-surgery-complaint-filed-93939