Hyderabad: Doctors forget forceps in woman's abdomen

Hyderabad: A city resident underwent emergency surgery on Saturday to remove forceps left behind in her abdomen by doctors during an earlier surgery at the Nizam’s Institute of Medical Sciences.

The forceps were left behind in the abdomen of Ms Maheshwari Chowdary, 33, during a hernia operation on November 2.

The forceps showed up in an X-ray she underwent at the hospital where she landed up complaining of severe pain and vomiting.

On February 8, Ms Chowdary complained of unbearable pain in the abdominal region and was rushed to the hospital. The X-ray revealed forceps in the external abdominal cavity. “The radiology department was not willing to share the report,” her husband Harshvardhan said.

“A battery of tests were carried out and they told us they have to operate again to remove the forceps. It was the first time, we were told, the forceps had been forgotten inside the body.”

Mr Chowdary, who came to the hospital with his brother and other relatives, protested against the negligence of the doctors. Ms Chowdary had been admitted to the hospital on October 31 and the surgery was performed on November 2. She was discharged on November 12.

There had been no complaints all these days and doctors did not make her undergo another X-ray as she was stable.

The forceps had been placed near the main artery to control the blood from oozing out, as is the practice, a microbiologist said.

A senior surgical gastroenterologist at NIMS said on condition of anonymity, “Equipment taken in and brought out from the operation theatre is counted during surgery,”

“If any tool is damaged, the log book has to mention it. This is the work of the surgical nursing team that hands over these devices to the surgeons. If a medical device was left inside, it means the equipment was not counted after surgery. And if a count was taken, why was it not reported,” the doctor asked. “This is an unfortunate incident,” NIMS director Dr K. Manohar said. “A three-member committee of doctors from Osmania General Hospital will probe into this incident and submit a report.”

Asked if the forceps would have rusted, being inside the body for three months, senior surgical gastroenterologist Dr Srivenu Itha said: “Inert material is used in surgical devices, hence there will not be rusting. But it can cause pain or uncomfortable sensations and there is definitely a risk, as it is a foreign object inside the body. Once identified it must immediately be removed.”

A police case was registered under Sections 336 (endangering life) and 337 (causing hurt) at Panjagutta police station based on a complaint from Mr Chowdary against the surgical gastroenterology team of NIMS Hospital.