'My daughter walked into Yashoda Hospital as an outpatient, came out on a stretcher'

Hyderabad: A District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum in Hyderabad has held Yashoda Hospital, Somajiguda, guilty of negligence in treating a 28-year old woman, which caused her death. The forum directed the hospital to pay Rs 15 lakh as compensation along with a cost of Rs. 15,000 for towards the cost of the proceedings, to the kin of the victim.

According to the complainants, who are the parents of the deceased, the woman was physically-challenged and was suffering from “Neurofibromatosis” since her birth. Nevertheless, Suchitha had completed her graduation in B.E (E&C) with distinction.

However, she developed “Dysphasia/Belching” problem a couple of years back and she was under local treatment. But in the middle of March 2011, “Dysphasia/Belching” aggravated and she was referred to Yashoda Hospital, Hyderabad for further treatment.

According to the parents of the diseased, in the radiologist report, it was clearly mentioned that the windpipe and food pipe of Suchitra were dislocated and not in place.

“However, Dr Ranganadam P without considering the findings of radiologist report and not applying his mind casually directed the patient for endoscopy test, which led to serious consequences,” said the aggrieved parents in their complaint.

The complainants said they and their daughter were aware of the consequences of the test and were not in favour of endoscopy.

“But the doctors were bent on conduct the above-said test submitting that it would help know the root cause of the disease.”

However, as anticipated by the family, while negotiating the endoscopy pipe in the food pipe, the mishap happened and Suchita became unconscious and was put on ventilator support.

Not satisfied with the treatment and its high cost, Suchitra got discharged from Yashoda on April 8, 2011, and was admitted at Vatsalya Hospital, Gulbarga. But the patient could not survive for long hours and breathed her last the same day.

The parents said, “Our daughter visited the hospital by walking as an outpatient but left the Hospital on a stretcher with ventilator support. This was caused due to negligence of doctor, who subjected her to the endoscopy test.“

Meanwhile, reacting to the complainants, Yashida hospital claimed that endoscopy was the only option left to clearly delineate the problems of Suchitra.

“Only after the written consent, the doctors of the opposite party had conducted the endoscopy on the patient,” the hospital statement added.

The hospital said the allegation of the complainant that there was evidence of tracheal injury is not true. “In fact, if the tracheal injury was to be there, it would have caused an immediate fatality. Till now no case has been reported in the medical literature that endoscopy causes tracheal injury. Post-procedure, the patient developed hypoxia (reduced oxygenation) because of severe Tracheal stenosis and immediately the patient was given oxygen.”

The hospital, however, alleged the parents of Suchitra had shifted her to another hospital against the medical advice of the doctors. The hospital said the death of the patient was due to the haste shown by the complainants.

The forum said that after looking at the evidence, it may be concluded that the hospital had been negligent while treating the patient.

“The opposite party failed to explain why the patient developed hypoxia (reduced oxygenation) and why severe tracheal stenosis had occurred. It is very clearly established that the hospital failed to consider the radiology report prior to commencement of the endoscopy procedure.” The forum said.

It further directed Yashoda Hospital to pay Rs. 15, 00,000 towards compensation for their negligent act of treating the daughter of the complainants which caused her death. The forum also slapped Rs. 15,000 towards costs of the proceedings.