Kidney recipient dies, MCH faces delay charge

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The death of a patient in Thiruvananthapuram Medical College Hospital following a kidney transplantation on Monday kicked up a controversy after a section of people alleged medical negligence. They alleged that the transplantation procedure was delayed by three hours after the kidney harvested from a brain-dead youth in Kochi reached the hospital. 

After the incident became a row, Health Minister Veena George ordered the suspension of Dr Vasudevan Potti and Dr Jacob George, who head the nephrology and urology departments, respectively, pending a detailed inquiry. The Kerala State Human Rights Commission also asked the director of medical education to probe the incident and file a report in four weeks. 

Suresh Kumar, 62-year-old resident of Karakonam, died after the kidney transplantation surgery. The kidney of a youth who was declared brain dead at Rajagiri Hospital in Ernakulam was brought in three hours to Thiruvananthapuram MCH by 5.30pm on Sunday.  It is alleged that there was lack of coordination among departments in receiving the kidney at the super speciality block and a delay of three hours before starting the surgery. The patient died of a heart attack following the surgery, according to the preliminary reports.

“There shall be an impartial inquiry by the additional chief secretary. The allegations on the failure to follow the protocol during transplantation and lack of coordination shall be probed. The details of the death will be known after the postmortem report,” said the minister. Leader of Opposition V D Satheesan alleged a major lack of coordination among departments and said the health minister could not absolve herself of her responsibility. 

However, doctors in the hospital dismissed the allegation and said the patient died due to post-surgical complications. “There were six patients on the probable list of kidney receivers. Tests were performed on three and Suresh Kumar was selected for the procedure,” said a senior doctor.  

‘Doctors had expressed doubt on outcome’

“The delay was only in the patient arriving at the hospital. We had made necessary preparations and the procedures on the patient were started much before the kidney arrived at the hospital,” the  doctor said.
The patient died of a heart attack following the surgery. Anil Kumar, a relative of the patient, said doctors had doubted the outcome of transplantation. “We gave the nod to continue with it even after the doctors expressed their concern about Suresh’s poor health. We are waiting for the postmortem report for further clarity,” he said.