Man dies during surgery,family claims medical negligence

Police are probing the death of a 51-year-old hotel employee during treatment at a private hospital in New Delhi after the victim's family blamed it on attending doctors' carelessness. Yogesh Kumar, who was admitted in the east Delhi hospital March 21, was declared dead on Saturday. His family alleged that he died during treatment but the hospital authorities did not disclose the matter.

Kumar, who worked in a hotel in Delhi's Connaught Place area, was admitted in the hospital for the operation for lipoma that was detected in his left leg by the doctors of the hospital itself.

'After Kumar's death, his family members and relatives protested outside the hospital. The situation was brought under control and the body was sent to Lal Bahadur Shastri Hospital for post-mortem. An inquiry has been conducted to ascertain the reason behind his death,' said a police officer.

What is a Lipoma?

A lipoma is a common, benign tumor composed of fatty tissue. Lipomas are soft to the touch, sometimes moveable, and are generally painless. They grow very slowly, and have not been found to become cancerous (malignant liposarcoma, however, also arises from fatty tissue). Many lipomas are small but can enlarge to sizes greater than six centimeters. Lipoma is commonly found in adults from 40 to 60 years of age but can also be found in children. 1/1000 of the general population has a lipoma.

Common symptoms are:

Blister(s) or bump(s) on skin
Lump or swelling in groin in females
Lump(s) in skin
Skin nodule(s)

What is Medical negligence?

Medical negligence is a term used to define the death or harm caused to a patient due to lack of proper medical care. The term can be applied to doctors and a case can be filed against a hospital under the Consumer Protection Act. In the case of Kumar, his family alleges that the doctors treating him did not perform the surgery properly, leading to his death. In such a case, the family has the right to file a case under the lack of preparation for an operation law, in the consumer forum as well as the high court for redressal of grievances.

Source: IANS