THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A medical board has concluded that removing the guide wire left inside the chest of a surgical patient from Kattakada — due to negligence at the General Hospital — would be too risky. The committee, which met on Thursday, stated that extracting the wire, lodged for over two years, could rupture major blood vessels.
The patient, 26-year-old S Sumayya, will be informed of the complications involved. However, if the family insists on removing the wire, the health department would explore the option, said a doctor.
Responding to the board’s decision, Sabeer, the patient’s brother, demanded that the government take responsibility for the patient’s further treatment and provide compensation. He also called for strict action against the doctors who continue to practice at the hospital.
Sumayya had been experiencing breathing difficulties and sought medical help to remove the wire.
Recently, Health Minister Veena George acknowledged the negligence and assured support for the patient. She also said that strict action would be taken against the responsible doctor once the full report is received.
Sumayya underwent a thyroid surgery at the General Hospital on March 20, 2023. During the procedure, doctors left behind the guide wire used to establish a central line. It was only discovered in March 2025 during an X-ray taken as part of her cancer treatment at RCC.
On September 3, the expert committee, which include specialists in anaesthesia, cardiology, critical care, and general surgery from Government Medical College, Thiruvananthapuram, recorded statements from both the patient and the doctor accused of negligence.
Meanwhile, the patient’s family has filed a police complaint against Dr. Rajeev Kumar, the surgeon who performed the procedure.