MANGALURU: In an alleged case of medical negligence, a doctor at a Mangaluru hospital left a surgical mop inside a woman’s stomach during a C-section, putting her life in danger and requiring an emergency, life-saving surgery at another hospital two months later, after a CT scan exposed the doctor’s carelessness. She is still not able to breastfeed her newborn.
“We have undergone tremendous stress. We have posted the issue on National Consumer Grievance portal and Department of Consumer Affairs. We have spent lakhs of rupees on her treatment,” the woman’s husband said.
Dakshina Kannada district health and family welfare officer Dr Thimmaiah H R said that a thorough probe would be conducted into the complaint.
Recounting the ordeal, the husband posted on X that his wife underwent a C-section on Nov 27 at a private hospital, but a week after she was discharged on Dec 2, she developed a high fever and had to be readmitted to the hospital. Concerned about an unusual sensation on one side of her stomach, the couple insisted on an ultrasound scan, which revealed a 10 cm mass.
However, the radiologist allegedly refused to disclose its details to the patient or communicate with the treating doctor in their presence. The doctor, in turn, dismissed their concerns, claiming it was a hematoma rather than a foreign object.
As the discomfort persisted, the couple requested a CT scan for clarification, but the doctor reportedly disregarded the suggestion, insisting the condition would resolve over time. Although the woman’s fever eventually subsided, follow-up ultrasounds showed no reduction in the mass. Meanwhile, she began experiencing severe joint, wrist, and leg pain, making it difficult for her to walk, stand, or even lift her baby to feed.
A CT scan later confirmed the presence of a surgical mop inside her stomach. By then, the infection had spread to her lungs, blood, and other organs, putting her life at grave risk, her husband alleged. When the couple confronted the doctor who had performed the C-section, he allegedly refused to take responsibility.
Ultimately, an emergency surgery was performed at another private hospital in Mangaluru’s Puttur on Jan 25 to remove the mop. She was discharged on Feb 15, though she is still on medication.