Hospital fined Rs 1 lakh for wrong surgery

Complainant Thangam of Nagercoil, in her petition, had stated that she had a scar in her upper left hand since childhood and when she went for treatment in the Nagercoil GH, on May 3, 2010, it was diagnosed as a Keloid scar. She also sought treatment from five other doctors and they too confirmed it was a Keloid scar. 

Giving their opinion, all the doctors had said the Keloid scar should not be operated on and should be treated with the help of medicines alone. However, the doctors had referred her to the private hospital in Punnai Nagar in the town and a doctor called Radhakrishnan, working in the hospital, had convinced her to opt for plastic surgery for it. 

He performed ‘skin graft’ surgery on June 7, 2010, by taking skin from her thigh and after the surgery, she was discharged on June 12, 2010. However, she developed irritation and suffered pain on the operated body part.

When she approached the doctor for treatment, he was initially elusive and then later started harassing her. Then she went to the Tiruvananthapuram Medical College Hospital and doctors there said she had developed Keloid again in the same place and told her it was gross medical negligence on the part of the doctor and the hospital for going in the plastic surgery despite knowing that it should not be performed for Keloid scars. 

Also, it was wrongly mentioned in the medical records by the doctor as burns to cover the surgery under insurance. However, he but did not reveal it to the patient and the amount for surgery was also obtained from Thangam. So, she demanded Rs 10 lakh as compensation from the doctor and the hospital. 

The forum imposed a fine of Rs 1.1 lakh to be paid by the hospital and the doctor for their gross medical negligence.