Paid for 3 surgeries, Bombay Hosp doctor only performs two
While Sapna was discharged from the hospital on February 12, it was on February 16 that the couple, on the basis of self-examination again, had doubts about the third surgery not being performed and decided to consult another doctor to get a confirmation
Mumbai: Twelve days after undergoing surgery at Bombay Hospital in Marine Lines, a 38-year-old housewife Sapna from Bhandup found out that the doctor had not performed one of the three crucial surgeries that she was slated to undergo. On Tuesday, her husband Anil Lahoti, who paid around ₹4 lakh for the three surgeries, approached the Maharashtra Medical Council (MMC), statutory body regulating the registration of medical practitioners, against the general surgeon for allegedly hiding the facts about the surgery and of medical negligence.
According to Anil, they consulted Dr MM Begani for the first time on January 29 after which they agreed to get his wife operated on for three surgeries- gallbladder removal and hernia, which he performed, and the third surgery which he did not perform was repair of diastasis recti (a separation in the abdomen that occurs when the tissue between the rectus abdominis muscles—the two sides of your “six pack”—stretches or tears at the central vertical line.)
“Sapna had diastasis recti and umbilical hernia after our first child was born in 2014. While we were planning for surgery for a while, it was recently when she got a gallstone problem that we decided to get all three surgeries done,” he said. Lahoti said that after the surgery on February 10, Dr Begani said all three surgeries went well. “Upon self-examination, we had a doubt the next day on the usage of mesh (a medical device made with either synthetic materials or biological tissue that supports damaged tissue around a hernia as it heals) for hernia repair as it felt like he did not apply as he informed us. When asked, we didn’t get a reply on the mesh,” he said.
While Sapna was discharged from the hospital on February 12, it was on February 16 that the couple, on the basis of self-examination again, had doubts about the third surgery not being performed and decided to consult another doctor to get a confirmation. “We questioned Dr Begani about mesh usage in the hernia repair and divarication surgery. He still did not disclose to us the truth and instead made us write a testimonial and visit us after a month,” he said.
Unconvinced of the medical treatment received from Dr Begani, the couple approached another general surgeon the following day where the doctor expressed his doubts on the third surgery being performed. Lahotis again took Dr Begani’s appointment on February 22 and confronted him.
“This was the first time that Dr Begani accepted that he only did gallbladder removal and hernia repair but did not perform divarication surgery. We were surprised when instead of owning up to his mistakes, he said the surgery was not done because two laparoscopists surgeons who were supposed to be part of Sapna’s surgery, didn’t turn up. He also said he is not an expert in it and was dependable on the laparoscopists,” said Lahoti.
Lahoti, who works with a mutual funds organisation, said he has extended his leave since his wife is still in pain and trauma post the surgery. “We also came to know that the hernia repair wasn’t done by laparoscopy and was only a small incision open surgery. All the hospital medical papers, and discharge summaries, mention three surgeries. We were charged accordingly,” he said.
Dr Rajkumar V Patil, director (medical services), Bombay Hospital, said he received the complaint from Lahoti on Tuesday. “We will set up an inquiry into the Lahoti case and also speak to Dr Begani,” he said. Dr Begani was not available for comment. Dr Vinky Rughwani, MMC administrator, said Lahoti’s complaint will be looked into as a priority. “We will scrutinise the medical papers. If we find the doctor was at fault, we will take action against him,” he said.