KOZHIKODE: The Kozhikode Government Medical College Hospital seems to be in a muddled mess these days. Days after a doctor was suspended for mixing up a surgery, an orthopaedic surgeon at the hospital has been accused of implanting a rod in the wrong patient.
Relatives said Ajith, 24, from Kothipolam was admitted to the hospital a week ago with a fractured hand and was operated upon. Soon after the surgery, he started experiencing severe pain, prompting a follow-up X-ray, which revealed that the wrong rod had been implanted into his hand. Adding insult to injury, the doctor who performed the surgery behaved rudly after his mistake came to light, the youth’s mother alleged.
“When we told the doctor that we are not ready for another surgery (on the same day), he shouted at us, ‘Do what you want’,” she said.
‘False and misleading propaganda’, condemns teachers’ association
“As advised by the hospital authorities, we had purchased items worth Rs 3,000, apart from the rod, for the surgery. But not a single item was used,” she added.
Ajith’s mother has filed a complaint with the Medical College police, accusing the doctor and the hospital of negligence. Meanwhile, the Kerala Government Medical College Teachers’ Association (KGMCTA) has said the procedure on Ajith’s hand involved fixing bones with plates and screws, and temporarily using a K-wire to prevent the bones in the wrist from slipping. Post-surgery, a junior doctor noticed an issue with the K-wire placement and informed the patient that repositioning might be needed. However, after consulting with a senior doctor, it was decided that no repositioning was necessary.
In a statement, the Kozhikode unit of KGMCTA condemned the “false and misleading propaganda” targeting the MCH.