Doctors leave surgical sponge inside patient in Lahore

LAHORE: In a case of reported medical negligence, doctors at the Lahore Services Hospital left a surgical sponge inside a patient after performing a procedure.

A man named Muhammad Ashfaq filed a complaint to the Punjab Healthcare Commission (PHC), detailing the negligence of doctors which put his daughter’s life at risk, reported Express News.

Ashfaq’s daughter Minsa Faisal was admitted to Lahore Services Hospital on May 20 after she went into labour. Dr Erum and Dr Sadaf operated on the patient and delivered the baby, discharging Faisal from the hospital, the complaint stated.

However, a few days after being discharged, Faisal started complaining of severe stomach pain. She was taken to Jinnah Hospital, but staff refused to admit the patient after seeing her. Instead, they referred her back to the Services Hospital.



It was only after an ultrasound was done on June 19 that the presence of the surgical sponge was discovered. Doctors operated on Faisal and have removed the surgical swab, however, she is still undergoing treatment and recovering from the ordeal.

In addition to this, doctors at Services Hospital have not owned up to the incident and are constantly beating about the bush, the complaint added.

Ashfaq maintained that his daughter is still in critical condition. He demanded that hospital authorities take responsibility for his daughter’s treatment. He also appealed to PHC to initiate action against the negligent doctors. 

Published in The Express Tribune, June 28^th, 2018.