Wednesday
July 20, 2011
July 20, 2011
News
By KITAVI MUTUA, kitavimutua@gmail.com
Posted Thursday, July 14 2011 at 22:14
Posted Thursday, July 14 2011 at 22:14
Doctors left a towel in the womb of a patient leading to her death, say pathologists.
And now the family of Ms Jane Mutinda is demanding that the doctors be held accountable for professional negligence.
Ms Mutinda, 35, died last week after four months of agony since doctors left the surgical towel in her womb during a Caesarean section operation in February.
The family from Mutendea village in Matinyani district said the hospital was to blame for the operation at a government hospital.
A post-mortem examination conducted on Thursday concluded that the theatre cloth “with inflammatory properties” was wholly responsible for the woman’s death.
A post-mortem examination conducted on Thursday concluded that the theatre cloth “with inflammatory properties” was wholly responsible for the woman’s death.
“My daughter was turned away on three occasions at the hospital because doctors ignored numerous pleas to have her post-operation complications revisited,” said Ms Pauline Mukai.
Ms Mukai told journalists that the towel was discovered at Machakos referral hospital four months too late. It had already damaged the womb.
“Those responsible should be arraigned in court,” she said.
Doctors at the Machakos Imaging Centre advised their Kitui colleagues who had conducted the Caesarean operation to remove the six-centimetre towel stuck in the womb.
Ms Mutinda died during the operation to remove the towel.
Pathologists J. Okinyi and D. Oduor ascertained that the cloth removed during the second operation led to the patient’s death.
Dr Okinyi, the family pathologist, said before the second operation the body and the brain were swollen, which was related to the first operation.
Dr Okinyi, the family pathologist, said before the second operation the body and the brain were swollen, which was related to the first operation.
“This is a clear case of professional negligence which should be referred to the Medical Practitioners and Dentists Board,” said the two pathologists.
Ms Mutinda’s burial was called off at the weekend after the family complained to police that the hospital was reluctant to conduct a postmortem examination to establish the cause of the death of their daughter.
Kitui police boss Lillian Okembo said an inquest file had been opened.
Hospital medical superintendent David Kihigo Kuria defended his staff against accusations of negligence, saying the woman died as doctors were treating post-operation complications.
He also denied claims by the family that the patient had been turned away and denied treatment at the hospital for three months.
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