5 Years After Surgery, Scissors Found Inside Woman’s Abdomen in Kerala

In a shocking case of alleged medical negligence, a surgical scissor was found inside the abdomen of a 51-year-old woman nearly five years after she underwent a hysterectomy at Government Medical College Hospital Alappuzha.

The scissors, identified as a long, curved Metzenbaum instrument used during surgeries, were detected in Usha Josephkutty, a resident of Punnapra, after she complained of persistent abdominal pain and blood in her urine.

The hysterectomy was performed on May 10, 2021. Since then, Usha had been seeking treatment at various hospitals for recurring pain, but the cause remained undiagnosed. On Wednesday, an X-ray taken on the advice of a urology specialist revealed the presence of the surgical instrument.

She visited the medical college hospital at Vandanam on Thursday morning. According to a relative, some doctors allegedly asked the family not to disclose the matter.

Usha, a daily wage worker under the employment guarantee scheme, lives in a rented house in Paravur with her husband Josephkutty, a labourer. Following the discovery, she expressed fear about returning to the Alappuzha medical college and said she preferred to undergo further surgery elsewhere.

She was later shifted to Amrita Hospital in Kochi late at night, accompanied by her son Shibin.

Punnapra South grama panchayat vice-president KF Tobias demanded emergency financial assistance for the family. Meanwhile, hospital superintendent Dr A. Harikumar stated that an inquiry would be conducted and that no formal complaint had been received so far.

The Director of Medical Education has also ordered a probe into the incident.

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