Forceps shocker: Punnapra woman leaves hospital after surgery

Kochi: Usha Joseph, the Punnapra native in whose abdomen a pair of artery forceps was left behind, was discharged from Amrita Hospital after undergoing surgery to remove the instrument. After Joseph had undergone a surgery at Alappuzha medical college hospital in 2021, the doctors reportedly left the forceps in her abdomen, resulting in unrelenting health issues. Following allegations of medical negligence that surfaced recently, an inquiry committee was constituted to probe the matter. However, the committee cleared the doctor who conducted the surgery of the allegation. It noted that the doctor stitched the surgical wound after confirming with the nurse that the latter collected all the instruments used in the surgery. Mata Amritanandamayi Math, which manages Amrita Hospital, provided free treatment. During the surgery, the artery forceps was removed from Joseph's body. It was handed over to Ambalappuzha police, which is probing Joseph's complaint The surgery was led by Dr O V Sudheer, head of the gastro surgery department at Amrita Hospital, Dr K V Sanjeevan, head of the urology department, and Dr Radhamani K, head of the gynaecology department. Doctors reported that the patient's condition was satisfactory following the surgery.