Egypt: Doctor leaves towels in patient’s stomach after surgery

Abu Dhabi: A medical error by a urologist cost an Egyptian farmer in the Gharbia Governorate his life after he underwent laparoscopic surgery to remove a large stonee from his kidney, local media reported.

The doctor, identified only as K.H., reportedly left towels in the stomach of Abdel Rahman Badr, in his 40s, after he cut the artery leading to the kidneys.

After the surgery, the doctor informed the patient’s family that he had died, and wrote in his report the cause was a sharp drop in the blood circulation.

The deceased was taken to another hospital, and there he was presented to the forensic doctor, who confirmed that he had the abdomen opened in a large way that was not commensurate with the operation.

The forensic doctor added the doctor who performed the surgery had placed three pads inside the patient’s abdomen to conceal the blood, and sewed them up so that no one would discover the effect of his cruel act.

The director of the hospital and the anesthesiologist tried to reach an out of the court settlement, offering the victim’s family 250,000 pounds (approximately $16,000), but the family refused, and demanded the doctor be taken to court to be punished for his action, a relative of the victim said.

Undersecretary of the Ministry of Health in Gharbia Governorate confirmed that the doctor will be punished “in the event that the medical error is proven, whether by withdrawing the license to practice his profession, imprisonment or a financial fine.