The Madras High Court bench here issued directions to the dean of the Government Rajaji Hospital (GRH) to remove broken pieces of a surgical instrument from the abdomen of a woman, after her husband moved the court.
In his petition P. Arumugam, a watchman, said that his wife A. Indrani underwent a surgery at the GRH to remove a cyst from her abdomen on October 11, 1989. Following the surgery, she complained of severe abdominal pain, he said.
“Every time my wife went to the GRH for abdominal pain, the doctors gave her tablets without ascertaining the cause”, said Mr Arumugam in the petition.
Mrs Indrani consulted doctors at a private hospital only from May 2013 and on their advice she underwent a scan on June 1, 2013. The scan revealed the presence of pieces of a broken surgical forceps in the abdomen, the petitioner said.
According to him, the only surgery Mrs Indrani underwent was the one at the GRH.
He accused the doctors of GRH for failing to diagnose the actual cause of pain after the surgery.
Therefore, he pleaded for directions seeking compensation and urgent medical care to remove the metal splinters from his wife’s abdomen.
In his judgement, Justice N. Kirubakaran said, “Prima facie, from the reading of the scan report, it is clear the foreign body was left inside the abdomen of the petitioner’s wife.
Hence, it is appropriate to direct the dean of GRH to admit Mrs Indrani immediately and provide treatment, including surgery for the removal of the foreign body.” He also ordered notice to the dean of GRH and the secretaries of home and health departments.
The special government pleader made submissions at the court undertaking to provide treatment to Mrs Indrani in a special ward at GRH.
The case has been adjourned to June 20.
