Fresh x-rays reveal no scissors in woman’s stomach

SUKKUR: Fresh x-rays have revealed no scissors in a 75-year-old woman's abdomen, as was previously claimed. Arbab Khatoon, wife of Haji Ghulam Lanjwani a resident of Raees Akram Lanjwani village near Behram, claimed that three months ago a surgeon at a private clinic left a pair of scissors in her abdomen while operating on her to remove a kidney stone.



Speaking to the media on Sunday at Larkana Press Club, the woman claimed that the doctors charged her Rs50,000 for the operation and discharged her after three days, declaring her fit. Even after the kidney stone had been removed she suffered from stomach pains and post-operation x-rays revealed a scissor in her stomach.

Arbab said that when she went to the surgeon and showed him the fresh x-rays, he demanded an additional Rs50,000 to operate and remove the scissors. "I belong to a poor family and could not afford to pay another Rs50,000 to the surgeon," she lamented.

Taking notice of the woman's complaint Sindh health secretary Ahmed Bux Narejo ordered the medical superintendent of Chandka Medical College Hospital, Dr Jawed Shaikh, to operate on the woman to remove the scissors and conduct an investigation into the matter. Dr Shaikh told The Express Tribune that the woman has been admitted in the hospital and fresh x-rays have been taken but nothing has been found in her abdomen.



"The woman is complaining of stomach aches and we are investigating the matter and providing her treatment," he said, adding that the three fresh x-rays, including a digital x-ray, showed nothing abnormal.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 14^th, 2016.