The incident occurred at the trauma center of a university hospital in Varanasi on Saturday, March 7. According to the Times of India, an elderly woman died after undergoing unnecessary surgery due to a gross patient identification error.
The 71-year-old Radhika Devi was in the neurosurgery department awaiting a scheduled procedure, but she was mistakenly taken to the operating room instead of 82-year-old Radhika Singh.
The surgeons began the procedure, but a senior resident did not find the expected hip fracture in the patient. Nurses subsequently confirmed that a mix-up had occurred. The doctors stitched up the incisions and returned the woman to her ward without informing her relatives of the incident.
On Wednesday, March 18, Radhika Devi underwent the correct surgery. However, she later developed complications and passed away on Wednesday, March 28.
The negligence came to light after the deceased's grandson filed a complaint with the director of the medical institution. A special commission has been formed to investigate the incident. Experts are currently conducting an inquiry to determine the degree of guilt of the medical staff.
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