Lucknow:
A team of 15 doctors, including senior health officials at Era’s Lucknow Medical College and Hospital, has been booked in a medical negligence case after a 57-year-old woman alleged that a surgical instrument was left inside her abdomen during a surgery performed more than two years ago, causing her prolonged and severe abdominal pain.
Allegations of Negligence and Misdiagnosis
According to the complainant, she began experiencing acute abdominal pain in January 2023 and approached the private hospital for treatment. After MRI and X-ray examinations on January 5, she was advised surgery. She was admitted on February 15 and underwent surgery on February 27, 2023.
She alleged that complications arose due to faulty stitching, necessitating a second surgery on March 17. Although she was discharged on March 23, her abdominal pain reportedly persisted.
Between March and May 2023, the woman claimed she made multiple visits to the hospital, where doctors allegedly prescribed painkillers without identifying the underlying cause, while charging consultation fees. She stated that she spent nearly ₹5 lakh on treatment between 2023 and 2025, but her condition did not improve.
Claims of Concealment and False Diagnosis
The complainant further alleged that when her pain worsened significantly in August 2025, an ultrasound conducted at the same hospital on August 2 showed abnormalities. She accused the doctors of preparing misleading reports to conceal the presence of a surgical instrument inside her body.
She claimed she was falsely diagnosed with appendicitis and pressured to undergo another surgery with demands for immediate payment. Suspecting malpractice, she declined and sought a second opinion.
At another private hospital, a CT scan conducted on August 9 reportedly revealed a foreign surgical object inside her abdomen. She underwent surgery on August 20, during which the object was removed and shown to her family. The discharge summary mentioned “foreign body removal” during a diagnostic laparotomy under general anaesthesia. She later developed serious post-operative complications and required ICU care, adding to her physical and mental trauma.
Legal Action After Court Intervention
The woman alleged that despite being aware of the foreign object, the first hospital continued her treatment and extracted nearly ₹5 lakh over the years. She said she submitted written complaints to the police commissioner, local police station, chief medical officer and district magistrate in August 2025, but no action was taken.
Following her petition, the Lucknow Judicial Magistrate (V) court ordered a probe on October 4. Acting on the court’s directions, police registered an FIR against 15 doctors, including surgeons, radiologists, consultants and senior officials, under Sections 125(A) (acts endangering human life) and 125(B) (causing grievous hurt) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
Police said an investigation into the allegations is currently underway.
