In what can be called as a case of medical negligence, surgeons have reported the removal of a pair of forceps (eight-inch long) left inside the patient's abdomen three years ago. The forceps is said to have been left inside the 17-year old Pakistani patient while she had underwent appendectomy surgery.
The medical team consisting of three senior surgeons and four paramedics, responsible for the forceps retention would be suspended from the state-run People's Medical College Hospital in Nawabshah, said Naushad Shaikh, Health secretary of southern Sindh province.Akleeman Daheri, the victim of this medical blunder suffered from stomach pain following the initial surgery. Apparently, the doctors who were involved in the surgery diagnosed it to be nothing more than postoperative discomfort. Following this, he was given painkillers as a pain management measure.
The presence of a forceps in her abdomen was not reveled until the doctors ordered an X-ray for her persistent pain. Following the forceps retrieval surgery and losing 12 inches of her small intestine, she is now in a stable condition.
Although the victim’s family has not expressed interest in lodging a criminal case, the health minister has warned other surgeons and paramedical staff to excise extreme caution and care while operating.
