PILIBHIT: The chief medical officer (CMO) of Pilibhit has found five doctors guilty of medical negligence after a woman died from septicemia on Dec 5 last year due to a surgical sponge being left inside her abdomen during a hysterectomy. The district magistrate has forwarded the report to the additional district magistrate (finance and revenue) for further action, while the state medical administration has also been informed.
Pilibhit DM Sanjay Kumar Singh had ordered an inquiry on Dec 10 after TOI highlighted the issue. The CMO, Dr Alok Kumar, held the doctors responsible for negligence, concealment of critical facts, flawed diagnosis, and improper surgical procedures. “The report has been sent to the ADM (finance and revenue) for a final decision regarding administrative and punitive action against the erring doctors. A copy is also being sent to the state medical administration for necessary intervention,” Singh added.
As per the report, the doctors found guilty include assistant professor in the general surgery department Dr Ruchita Bora, senior resident Dr Saif Ali, and senior gynaecologist Dr Asha Gangwar, all posted at Autonomous State Medical College. Two private doctors, Dr Rambeti Chauhan and Dr Himank Maheshwari, were also held responsible.
The case pertains to the death of Kheelawati Shankar, a resident of Mishrain Gautia village near Pilibhit city, who died during a second surgery to remove the sponge. A CT scan revealed that the sponge, left inside during her initial hysterectomy, had led to excessive pus formation and swelling in her internal organs.
Her husband, Uma Shankar, said he had taken her to a private hospital in Devipura village on July 7 due to excessive uterine bleeding. The hysterectomy was performed the same day by Gangwar, who also works as a senior resident doctor at the district women’s hospital. She was discharged on July 23 with a report saying she was “stable with no complaints,” but soon developed acute abdominal pain and swelling, which she repeatedly reported to the doctor. “Despite 15 days of hospitalisation and three months of follow-up treatment, her symptoms only worsened,” Shankar added.
On Nov 14, she was taken to the district women’s hospital, where Gangwar referred her to the general surgery department. An ultrasound revealed excessive pus and swelling, which was drained through surgery on Nov 16, but her pain persisted. A subsequent CT scan confirmed the presence of the sponge, but Uma alleged that “this critical information was withheld from us, and Kheelawati was discharged on Nov 26 despite her deteriorating condition.”
On Dec 1, she was taken to another private hospital in Bareilly, where doctors confirmed the presence of the sponge. Two surgeries were performed on Dec 1 and Dec 5 to remove it, but she died hours after the second procedure.
CMO Kumar said, “Had Gangwar opted for a ‘pre speculum’ examination before directly proceeding with the hysterectomy, the sponge would not have been left inside. This could have significantly reduced the medical complications.”
