Mumbai: Botched surgery in KEM leaves woman in crutches and penniless

Uma Iyer. Pics/Sneha Kharabe

In December 2016, Dombivli resident Uma Iyer went to KEM Hospital to mend a ligament tear in her left leg. But, after a surgery and an eight-day stay, she walked out on crutches, with a severe infection in her leg, allegedly caused due to medical negligence of the KEM hospital staff.

Uma Iyer has alleged that KEM hospital doctors closed the incision with just stitches, which led to the infection in her leg. Pic/Sneha Kharabe

Since then, she has spent Rs 7.27 lakh trying to treat the infection, by borrowing money from her employers and relatives. She has written to the hospital and lodged a complaint with the Medical Council of India.

The second tear
Iyer, 34, is the breadwinner of her family of three, which includes her 60-year-old mother and 17-year-old daughter. She had suffered a ligament tear in 2015, when she had to undergo a surgery at a private hospital for an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tear. But, she recovered well from it.

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However, last October, she tore her ligament again while alighting from a train. She was admitted to KEM hospital for surgery under Dr Pradeep Nemade, assistant professor, orthopaedic. The operation was performed on December 14, 2016, and she was discharged on December 21. Iyer alleges that the hospital didn't take proper post-op care of her.

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Improper dressing
As claimed in the complaint copy to MCI and KEM hospital, the dressing was not done properly during her stay. Moreover, the doctors closed the incision created to connect the outlet tube for discharge of waste fluid and impure blood with mere stitches. This led to stagnation of the waste fluid and blood within the knee that further led to the growth of the infection, causing Iyer severe pain, as pus continued to ooze out of the incision, damaging the stitches. Now, she is not even able to walk properly without the support of crutches. Whenever she tries to walk freely, her leg twists.

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‘Would cry in pain'
"In the hospital, I used to cry in pain and they just put me on painkillers. Pus would ooze out of my leg, but no one cared. Dr Nemade would pay a visit just for appearance sake. Later, despite my severe condition, they discharged me against my will and my condition deteriorated further," Iyer told mid-day.

After she was home, with the infection still causing her pronounced discomfort, her daughter called their family doctor. "They gave injections, but nothing improved. Pus continued to come out. Then, I was admitted to the Gokhale Orthopaedic Centre in Dombivli, where various tests confirmed a high presence of bacteria and infection that had reached my knee," said Iyer.

More surgeries follow
She then underwent arthroscopy knee surgery on December 26, 2016 for which she had to spend Rs 1,50,000 from her savings. But it just provided her temporary relief, with the pain still refusing to subside. She underwent her third surgery this March at Breach Candy Hospital.

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"I again did several tests which showed that the bacteria had increased, compelling me to undergo my third surgery at the same place to remove the titanium button, screw and ACL ligament," she added. So far, Iyer has spent R7.27 lakh to rectify the botched treatment she allegedly received at KEM. mid-day has copies of her surgery bills.

"I stay with my daughter and mother and need to save money for their future. But all my money has gone for the treatment. I cannot sit at home, as I am the breadwinner. How will we survive?" she asked.

The other side
When mid-day contacted Dr Pradeep Nemade, he refused to give any information on Iyer's surgery, citing doctor-patient confidentiality. "I am aware of a complaint being filed and we have answered all the questions raised by her. After the surgery, she did not even follow up with us. I won't be able to comment on it anymore, as I would have to respect the doctor-patient confidentially. If the patient asks anything, I will answer."

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