Cloth left behind after surgery at private hospital, alleges Thiruvananthapuram woman

T'puram: A woman from Menamkulam in Thiruvananthapuram lodged a complaint with chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan alleging serious medical negligence by a private hospital in the city after a piece of cloth was allegedly left stitched inside her abdomen during surgery. The complainant, Sheeba Pramod, accused CSI Mission Hospital at Kazhakkoottam of negligence during a surgical procedure performed late last year. According to her complaint, the cloth piece remained inside her body for months, causing persistent pain and complications. Sheeba said she initially approached the hospital on Dec 2 after developing a fever. The following day, she began experiencing severe abdominal pain. After medical examinations and a scan, doctors reportedly diagnosed appendicitis and advised surgery. She underwent an appendectomy on Dec 3 at the hospital after doctors said there was bleeding. However, her problems did not end there, the complaint stated. She alleged that abdominal pain continued for nearly three months after the surgery, and the wound failed to heal properly. The surgical site reportedly remained infected and developed pus, prompting her to seek treatment at another hospital. During further examination at another hospital, doctors conducted a scan and discovered a piece of cloth that was allegedly left inside her abdomen during the earlier surgery. Following the discovery, she underwent another operation to remove the cloth fragment. In her complaint to the chief minister, Sheeba alleged that the negligence caused prolonged suffering, additional treatment and financial burden. Besides, she was discharged from the private hospital on Dec 12, several days after the appendicitis surgery. Meanwhile, hospital authorities reportedly stated that it was unclear how the cloth piece ended up inside the patient's abdomen and where it came from. The complaint triggered calls for an investigation into the incident and renewed concerns over medical negligence in private healthcare facilities in the state. Officials are expected to examine the allegations and determine whether further action is warranted.