With an inquiry into the death of a 26-year-old man, who was admitted for weight reduction surgery at B.P. Jain Hospital, Pammal, finding deficiencies, the Directorate of Medical and Rural Health Services (DMS) has temporarily cancelled the hospital’s registration under the Tamil Nadu Clinical Establishment (Regulation) Act (TNCEA).
An order for closure has been issued, while the Tamil Nadu Medical Council has been recommended to initiate appropriate action against the erring doctors.
According to a press release issued on Wednesday, S. Hemachandran, a resident of Puducherry, had consulted T. Perungo at Rela Hospital on April 12, 2023 for obesity treatment. He weighed 145.5 kg, and was advised for laparoscopic gastric bypass surgery and diet. A year later, Hemachandran consulted Dr. Perungo at the hospital and consented for the procedure on April 6.
While the pre-operative investigations were conducted at Rela Hospital, the doctor informed the patient and his family that the procedure would cost ₹6 lakh to ₹8 lakh at the hospital. After they conveyed the lack of adequate financial resources, Dr. Perungo informed them that the surgery can be done for ₹3-₹4 lakh if performed at B.P. Jain Hospital in Pammal. He told them that the hospital had all facilities similar to Rela Hospital and asked him to get admitted.
Following this, Hemachandran was admitted to the hospital on April 21. He was taken to the operation theatre for surgery at 8.45 a.m. the next day and he suffered a cardiac arrest at 9.45 a.m. As the hospital did not have ‘high-end equipment,’ such as Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation and appropriate doctors, he was provided first aid for cardiac arrest and was shifted to Rela Hospital after a delay of one hour at 11.35 a.m.
As his condition did not improve with treatment, he was put on VA-ECMO (Ven-oarterial ECMO) at 6.10 p.m. the same day. His condition deteriorated and he died at 9.05 p.m. on April 23. Based on a complaint from his parents, Director of Medical Services R. Ilango Maheswaran directed a team of officials, headed by Additional Director (Planning and Development), to conduct a surprise inspection at B.P. Jain Hospital on May 3.
The inquiry committee found that no informed written consent was obtained from the patient’s parents before the surgery. The surgery was performed with unqualified nurses in the theatre. During the surgery, no Intensive Care Unit doctors/general physician/cardiologist were on duty. There were no high-end equipment, such as ECMO. Several deficiencies, including delay in shifting the patient to Rela Hospital, were found during the inquiry.
Following this, the Competent Authority/JD (Medical and Rural Health Services), Chengalpattu temporarily cancelled B.P. Jain hospital’s TNCEA registration granted under Tamil Nadu Clinical Establishments (Regulation) Rules, 2018 as per Section 5 (2) of Tamil Nadu Clinical Establishments (Regulations) Act, 1997 and has ordered closure of the hospital.
The Directorate has recommended the Tamil Nadu Medical Council to take appropriate action against Dr. Perungo and other doctors for taking up surgery in a place that lacked medical facilities, had no doctors to address complications arising during or after surgery and for engaging untrained and non-qualified theatre staff nurses.
