Thiruvananthapuram, Aug 28 (IANS) – A shocking case of alleged medical negligence has emerged from the Thiruvananthapuram General Hospital, where a young woman has been left suffering after a guide wire was accidentally left inside her chest during treatment.
The incident came to light after an audio clip surfaced in which the doctor who performed the procedure admitted to the mistake. In the conversation with the patient’s relative, the doctor can be heard saying, “What happened was indeed a mistake.” He further claimed that the lapse was discovered only after an X-ray and suggested that the responsibility lay with those who had inserted the tube for administering medicines.
The patient, Sumayya, a resident of Malayinkeezhu in Kattakkada, had undergone thyroid gland removal surgery at the hospital on March 22, 2023. Following the operation, doctors struggled to access a vein, leading them to insert a central line to administer blood and medicines. However, the guide wire used for the procedure was never removed and became lodged in her chest.
Subsequent tests at Sree Chitra Institute confirmed the presence of the wire, which had by then adhered to blood vessels. Medical experts have since ruled out the possibility of safely removing it surgically, leaving Sumayya to endure long-term health complications.
Her family alleges that the doctor concealed the error despite being aware of it. With her condition worsening, Sumayya has lodged formal complaints with the Health Department and the Leader of the Opposition, seeking justice and adequate medical support.
Amid growing outrage, the District Medical Officer (DMO) has sought a detailed report from hospital authorities.
This case echoes a similar incident from 2017, when homemaker Harshina made headlines after suffering persistent abdominal pain following her third delivery at Kozhikode Medical College. Later, a full radiological scan revealed a surgical scissor had been left inside her body. It was eventually removed through surgery.
