KANNUR: A 17-year-old boy who underwent tonsillitis surgery at a private hospital last week died on Tuesday while being treated for post-surgical bleeding. Sooryajith P, a Plus-Two student and resident of Kannadiparambu, underwent a minor keyhole surgery for tonsillitis at a private ENT hospital in Kannur town on July 17. Sooryajith’s relatives allege that medical negligence led to his untimely death.
“Sooryajith was sent home the day the surgery was performed, as per the doctor’s instructions. Two days later, he experienced minor bleeding in the nose. The ENT doctor who performed the surgery told his parents that slight bleeding after the procedure was normal,” said Ajitha N, a relative and family friend of Sooryajith.
“However, on Monday evening, the nose bleeding worsened. After being informed about his condition, the doctor instructed the parents to bring him to another private hospital where the doctor also practises,” Ajitha said.
“Around midnight, Sooryajith received treatment for nosebleeding. However, he complained of severe stomach pain after taking the medication. The doctor then administered an injection,” she said. “After the injection, Sooryajith appeared to be in a deep sleep. His parents thought he was resting and did not try to wake him. Around 8.30 am the next day, his mother Anima found him motionless.
Followed all procedures, tests before surgery
“Despite attempts to revive him, he was unresponsive. He was transferred to another multi-specialty private hospital, where he was pronounced dead on arrival,” Ajitha said.
According to her, Sooryajith had no prior medical history that could have caused his death. “Given the post-surgery bleeding, we suspect the clinic and the doctor erred. We are awaiting the postmortem report to know the exact cause,” she said.
The Kannur town police have registered a case of unnatural death in connection with the incident. “We registered a case on Tuesday morning. The boy’s parents have raised allegations against the ENT clinic and the private hospital. We are waiting for the postmortem examination report to proceed with further action,” said a police officer at the Kannur town station.
Meanwhile, authorities at the ENT clinic told TNIE that they had followed all procedures and conducted medical tests before the surgery.
“It was a very minor surgery. Some patients might experience minor bleeding, and we had already informed the parents. We are not sure about the exact cause of the boy’s death. He might have had unknown genetic disorders. Nonetheless, we are prepared to face legal formalities, as there is no fault on our part,” they said.