Woman carries scissors in abdomen for 20 years

Surgeons at Chuadanga Sadar Hospital on Monday removed a surgical scissor that was left inside the abdomen of a woman 20 years ago when she underwent a gallbladder stone surgery.

Bachena Khatun, 55, from Alamdanga upazila had been suffering from abdominal ache since her first surgery at a local clinic in 2002, said Dr Waliur Rahman Nayan, a senior consultant who supervised the second operation at Chuadanga Sadar Hospital.

The gallbladder stone operation was done Dr. Mizanur Rahman at Raza Clinic Raza Clinic in Gangni upazila of Meherpur district, according to Bachena’s family members.

He was assisted by Dr Parvez Hossain Raza, director at Raza Clinic and Dr Tapash Kumar, an anaesthesiologist.

After one week of the operation for which she spent her savings Bachena was discharged from the clinic with a prescription.

In a few days she started feeling more pain in the abdomen and visited Dr Mizan with the complaint. The doctor dismissed her complaint as normal asking her not to worry.

As the pain persisted Bachena then went from one doctor to another and was prescribed more medicines without any remission. In the process she had to sell two cows, her last assets to pay for the treatment and medicines.

With the pain turning unbearable Bachena, advised by a doctor, finally underwent an x-ray that revealed presence of the surgical scissor.

Last week Bachnea was admitted to the Sadar Hospital where she was kept under pre-surgery operation because of her high diabetes.

Dr Waliur of Chuadanga Sadar Hospital said “Bachena was under special care of the physicians as she was suffering from diabetes. The doctors conducted the surgery today (Monday) after bringing her sugar level under control and removed the surgical scissor at noon.”

Bachena, meanwhile, complained that the authorities at errant Raza Clinic, are not paying for her second surgery despite assurances.

Meherpur Civil Surgeon Dr Jawaherul Islam confirmed the matter saying that a three-member committee has been formed to probe how the surgical scissor remained inside Bachena’s abdomen.