Weight loss surgery death case: Chennai hospital temporarily closed after enquiry team finds deficiencies
During surgery, the patient developed cardiac arrest but as the hospital did not have an ECMO machine, he was rushed to Dr Rela Hospital and appropriate treatment was provided to him. However, the patient died on April 23 around 9.05 pm.
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CHENNAI: Following the death of a 26-year-old man during a weight loss surgery performed at a private hospital in Pammal, the state health department on Wednesday temporarily cancelled the hospital’s registration under the Tamil Nadu Clinical Establishment (Regulation) Act (TNCEA).
S Hemachandran from Puducherry (26) was consulting a doctor at Dr Rela Hospital for obesity treatment as he weighed 145.5 kg but as the surgery would cost around Rs 6-8 lakh, the doctor suggested he go to BP Jain Hospital in Pammal, saying that it had similar facilities, and where the same treatment would be provided for Rs 3-4 lakh. On April 21, the patient was admitted to BP Jain hospital, and on the following day, surgery was scheduled, a government release said.
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During surgery, the patient developed cardiac arrest but as the hospital did not have an ECMO machine, he was rushed to Dr Rela Hospital and appropriate treatment was provided to him. However, the patient died on April 23 around 9.05 pm.
Based on his parents' complaint, the state health department formed a committee and conducted a surprise inspection of BP Jain Hospital on May 3. They found that the hospital had failed to get informed written consent from the parents of the deceased before the surgery. There were no ICU specialists present during the surgery such as a general physician and a cardiologist nor was there any advanced technology, they stated.
The inspection committee also found that there had been no qualified theatre staff nurse during the surgery.
The health department has temporarily cancelled the hospital's TNCEA certificate and sent it a notice, asking it to end its operations.
The Directorate of Medical and Rural Health Services (DMS) has reccommended action by the Tamil Nadu Medical Council against the doctor at Rela and other doctors.
(With online desk inputs)