Teen girl, budding TN footballer dies after surgery goes wrong; two doctors suspended

The girl preferred the peripheral hospital since it was closer to her home at Vysarpadi in North Chennai. Priya, was a first-year student of BSc, Physical Education, at Queen Mary’s College.

Her parents said Priya had complained of consistent knee pain after the surgery on 7 November. The incision was covered with a tight compression bandage and the hospital staff reportedly ignored her complaints of severe pain.

Ahead of the surgery, she had changed her WhatsApp status: “All friends and family, I will get well soon and make a comeback. So don’t feel bad. I will make a mass entry. My game won’t leave me. You all are in the belief that I will return. Love you, friends and family,” she wrote.

A dream shattered

The next day, the girl’s relatives shifted her to the RGGGH, suspecting a blood clot. Test results revealed that the tissues in her right leg had been damaged beyond repair. The doctors said her leg had to be amputated above the knee to save her life.

“When she was brought to RGGGH, she had necrotic wounds due to necrosis (death of body tissue). Subsequently, we conducted some tests and came to the conclusion that the amputation of her right leg above the knee was required”, Dr Therani Rajan, Dean at RGGGH, told South First.

On 9 November, Priya’s leg was amputated, crushing her dream of bagging a government job through the sports quota.

Still, the pain persisted as the dead tissues at the amputated part kept building up. The doctors decided on a second surgery to remove her leg from the hip joint to save her.

However, during the second surgery, the doctors decided against removing the limb due to her deteriorating condition. Instead, they cleared the dead tissues in and around the amputated area on Monday, 14 November. Though doctors were constantly monitoring her, she died of multiple organ failure early on Tuesday.

“She was on life support after the surgery. She developed further complications like myoglobinuria, which resulted in the failure of the renal system and eventually, her liver and heart too were infected,” Dr Rajan said.

Doctors placed under suspension 

Parents, brothers, family members, relatives, friends, and fellow collegemates of Priya blocked the ambulance carrying the body in front of the hospital. They staged a protest demanding the arrest of two doctors at the peripheral hospital.

The protestors took her body home to Vysarpadi after senior police officers and Dr Rajan held talks with them and promised necessary action.

The health department held an inquiry and found medical negligence on the part of Chief Medical Officer Dr K Somasundar and Assistant Professor Dr Paul Ram Shankar of the Peripheral Hospital. Earlier, they were transferred from the hospital, but after Priya’s death, they were placed under suspension.

Tamil Nadu Health Minister Ma. Subramanian told reporters that police have registered a case and are investigating. “Legal action will be taken against them”, he said.

The health minister also announced a compensation of ₹10 lakh to the family of the deceased and a government job for one family member.

Meanwhile, BJP Tamil Nadu Unit President K Annamalai expressed shock over the death and demanded the dismissal of the two doctors who had performed the surgery.

“My deepest condolences to Priya’s family. Every government department is dying under this incompetent DMK regime. It is sad that the medical field has joined that line,” he tweeted.

தவறான சிகிச்சை வழங்கிய அரசு மருத்துவர்களை பணியிடை நீக்கம் செய்ய வேண்டும்.@arivalayam அரசு, சகோதரி பிரியா அவர்களின் குடும்பத்தில் ஒருவருக்கு அரசு வேலை மற்றும் நஷ்ட ஈடாக இரண்டு கோடி ரூபாய் அவரது குடும்பத்தாருக்கு உடனடியாக வழங்க வேண்டும். (3/3)

— K.Annamalai (@annamalai_k) November 15, 2022