CHENNAI: A month after an elective surgery for removing uterine fibroids in a woman was performed, doctors were called back to operate on her. This time, the surgery was to remove the surgical instrument left behind.

On the basis of a complaint from the patient, 45-year-old Jenita Devakirupavathi, her surgeon was asked to appear before the disciplinary committee of the Tamil Nadu Medical Council for an inquiry. General surgeon, Dr S Mangala Ravindran, who operated on Jenita at the Galaxy Hospital in Tirunelveli, told the council that Jenita underwent the procedure in May.

She recovered well and was discharged in a week. However, the next month, she developed abdominal pain and went to another hospital where doctors found forceps left behind.

Medical Council president, Dr K Senthil, said that the doctors there informed Dr Ravindran. The patient had to bear the pain and spend an additional Rs 30,000 for the second surgery.

Mistakes like these amount to gross negligence. Leaving objects behind can cause pain, infections, organ damage and even death. Estimates in Indian medical literature suggest that around 5,000 surgeons in India have done it at least once. While sometimes the team realizes it before closing the patient, at certain other times, they fail to do so.

The Tirunelveli police booked Dr Ravindran for causing grievous hurt by an act endangering life or personal safety of others.

In operating rooms, a scrub nurse keeps count of the sponges and instruments that are used during a procedure. Surgeons admit that during emergencies, such errors might occur. Bodies like NABH insist that there should be another person, such as a floor nurse, who is not a part of the surgery, to do the recount in order to avoid such mistakes. Dr Senthil said that the doctors should not close the patient until they find any missing sponge, even if the garbage cans need to be emptied.

In this case, the council is certain that negligence has occurred. However, they feel that it is not only the surgeons fault. He stated that Dr Ravindran is a freelance surgeon and the hospital management and his paramedical team should be equally accountable. They are yet to decide on the action and they will write to the nursing council as well. (TNN)