Usha Josephkutty, a 51-year-old woman from Punnapra, Alappuzha district, recently had a surgical instrument removed from her abdomen after living with it for five years. The surgery took place in Kochi at a private hospital, where doctors successfully extracted a curved artery forceps left behind during a hysterectomy in May 2021. Due to alleged negligence, a criminal case has been filed, leading to a closely monitored procedure with the presence of two doctors from Government Medical College Hospital, Kalamassery.
The removed instrument has been handed over to the Ambalappuzha Deputy Superintendent of Police for forensic examination as part of the ongoing investigation. Usha had been experiencing abdominal pain and blood in her urine since the initial surgery, with the forceps only discovered after a recent X-ray examination. Allegations have surfaced that certain doctors discouraged her family from publicizing the incident.
The incident has prompted the suspension of Associate Professor Dr. J. Shahida and nurse P.S. Dhanya from the hospital pending further inquiry. Despite standard protocol mandating instrument counts before and after operations, a lapse in the accounting process has been suspected. The situation has sparked a political dispute between Health Minister Veena George and Opposition Leader V.D. Satheesan, with protests and demands for accountability escalating the controversy.
