In a shocking turn of events, Dr. Agarwal forgot a surgical mop in the patient’s abdomen while performing a caesarean surgery. Few months later the patient’s health started deteriorating and a CT scan revealed hyper-dense soft tissue lesion in the right lumbar and iliac regions. It was evidence of a foreign object.
A surgery was performed to remove the mop, and as soon as the patient was out of the hospital, she approached the National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, New Delhi seeking justice and compensation.
The Commission would’ve been alarmed at such frequently occurring human-error related cases. The doctor’s contention that the patient did not produce any evidence to prove her case was quashed immediately by the Commission. It was observed that the surgical mop was indeed removed from the patient’s abdomen and handed over to the relatives, and this was also captured in the medical records. The Commission was puzzled over the doctor’s spineless defence and took no time in its ruling and awarded compensation to the patient.
Clearly, forget and forgive cannot be applicable to such cases!
Source: Order pronounced by National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, New Delhi on 22nd July, 2016.