Vijayawada (Andhra Pradesh): In a shocking incidence of medical negligence, medicos at Vijayawada Government Hospital left a surgical blade in a woman's hand while treating her for a snake bite. According to the girl's relatives, the hospital staff left a blade on the wound and then put a bandage over it. As a result, the wound got infected.
The incident came to light after the victim noticed her skin turning dark around the injured area and the victim said she thought there was an infection and which was why the skin turned blue. The victim's family has accused the hospital staff of medical negligence saying that their patient might have to lose her hand now.
On March 28, Tulsi, a resident of Vissannapet of Krishna district, was cleaning her home, when she suffered a snake bite. When she began cleaning under her bed, a snake which was coiled under the bed bit her. Tulsi's family members rushed her to a primary health center where she was given the first aid and the antivenom injection. She was referred to Vijayawada Government Hospital by the doctors treating her since her hand became swollen.
After she was admitted to the Vijayawada Government Hospital, they ran diagnostics on Tulsi and was asked to continue her treatment there. Days into treatment, Tulsi's swelling did not come down but growing. Tulsi also complained of excruciating pain and the doctors re-examined her hand.
The doctors decided to perform a surgery to reduce the inflammation. After the surgery, the victim's arm was bandaged up to her elbow. After two days, when the nurses untied the bandage to change the dressing, Tulsi noticed a blade on her wound and asked why it was there. As she confronted the nurses there, they replied that they can't give any explanation about that and will have to speak to the senior doctors.
Tulsi's husband Suresh said, "Tulsi complained of something piercing her through the bandage, but the hospital staff did not listen. Now, Tulsi might have to lose her hand due to negligence of the hospital staff." Hospital staff said that the victim's wound shall heal soon and would not require amputating the hand.
