Gauze left in abdomen after surgery
DOC, HOW COULD YOU LEAVE THIS INSIDE ME?
November 06, 2006
AFTER numerous visits to her surgeon and three months of agony, a Malaysian woman found out that a piece of surgical gauze had been left in her abdomen during ovarian surgery.
On 23 Feb, Madam Lim Que Moi had the surgery at a private hospital.
When she continued to suffer severe pain, she went back to the doctor - not once but seven times.
The 48-year-old said the surgeon dismissed her pain as a viral infection and gave her antibiotics.
SWOLLEN ABDOMEN
But her abdomen was swollen and her surgical scar was oozing. So she went to another doctor, reported the New Straits Times.
He X-rayed her abdomen and found that a piece of surgical gauze measuring 30cm x 30cm had been left inside her when she was operated upon.
At a news conference, Madam Lim showed reporters the blood-stained piece of gauze that was removed after a second operation on 26 May.
Madam Lim, who was accompanied by her husband Ng Soo Juay, 60, said: 'I plan to sue the doctor and hospital for damages.
'For three months, I suffered excruciating pain, all because of the negligence of the surgeon.'
She said she had spent over RM12,000 ($5,000) in medical costs, including RM5,000 for the original surgery.
She was upset that the doctor didn't do more when she went back complaining of severe pain.
UPSET AT DOCTOR
'I went for follow-up check-ups seven times. How could she not sense something was wrong? She did not even bother to send me for an X-ray.
'I am shocked at the apathy shown by the doctor and the hospital,' Madam Lim said.
She added that the hospital didn't give her a satisfactory explanation as to how this could have happened.
http://newpaper.asia1.com.sg/news/st...16871,00.html? 
