A 22-year-old man died after being administered anaesthesia at a private hospital in Ernakulam, Kerala, sparking allegations of medical negligence and prompting police to register a case following a complaint from the deceased’s family.
Surgery for Minor Ligament Tear Ends in Tragedy
According to media reports, the deceased, a native of Tripunithura, had been admitted to the hospital on March 10 for a scheduled surgery to treat a minor ligament tear in his leg. The injury was reportedly sustained on February 12 when the scooter he was riding overturned after a dog suddenly ran across the road.
Family members said he was taken to the operation theatre in a wheelchair around 7 pm for the procedure.
Cardiac Arrest After Anaesthesia Administration
About an hour after he was taken in for surgery, hospital authorities informed the patient’s parents that he had suffered a cardiac arrest following the administration of anaesthesia, according to reports.
Despite efforts by doctors to revive him, the 22-year-old was declared dead around 10 pm, leaving the family in shock.
Postmortem Conducted, Police Launch Investigation
Following the incident, a postmortem examination was conducted at Government Medical College (GMC), Kalamassery. The funeral of the deceased was later held at the Tripunithura public crematorium on Thursday.
Meanwhile, the family lodged a complaint with the Ernakulam Town South police station alleging possible negligence by the hospital authorities.
Based on the complaint, the police have registered a case of unnatural death and initiated an investigation to determine the exact circumstances leading to the patient’s death.
Previous Anaesthesia Negligence Case in Kerala
In a similar case reported earlier, a consumer court in Kerala had held a private hospital and its doctors responsible for the death of a 21-year-old endosulfan victim who underwent testicle surgery.
The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (DCDRC) directed the hospital and doctors to pay ₹13.30 lakh in compensation to the patient’s parents, along with 6 percent annual interest from the date of the complaint until realization. The commission also ordered the payment of ₹25,000 as litigation costs to the complainant within 30 days of receiving the order.
