Patient seeks legal action after guide wire left inside chest at Thiruvananthapuram Hospital

Thiruvananthapuram: Following alleged medical negligence during a thyroid gland removal surgery at Thiruvananthapuram General Hospital, a 26-year-old woman has decided to approach the court, seeking legal action against the Health Department and the state government after failing to receive the promised compensation and a government job.According to news reports, she said she had no option but to pursue legal redress after repeated complaints and assurances from authorities went unfulfilled.Also Read:Thiruvananthapuram MCH denies surgery to remove guide wire left inside patient’s chestHer ordeal began on March 22, 2023, when she underwent thyroid gland removal surgery at the General Hospital. During the procedure, a guide wire—a tube-like instrument used to establish a central line for administering medicines and fluids—was inadvertently left inside her chest. The error remained undetected for months, during which she experienced breathing difficulties and other health complications.Medical Dialogues had previously reported that in a shocking case of alleged medical negligence at the Thiruvananthapuram General Hospital, a young woman suffered complications after a guide wire was reportedly left inside her chest following thyroid gland removal surgery. The patient, a resident of Malayinkeezhu in Kerala’s Kattakkada, underwent thyroid gland removal surgery at the General Hospital on March 22, 2023. The incident came to light after a purported audio clip of the doctor who performed the surgery admitted to the error.
This case has raised serious concerns over patient safety and accountability in government hospitals.
Subsequent tests at Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology confirmed that a wire was lodged in her chest and attached to blood vessels, making surgical removal extremely risky. A medical board later advised that attempting to remove the wire could cause serious harm and recommended leaving it in place under strict medical supervision.Also Read:Guide wire left inside patient’s chest sparks negligence allegations at Thiruvananthapuram HospitalThe patient’s family alleges that in Sept 2025, Cantonment police arrested the surgeon involved. The health struggles forced the patient to quit her job, and the family’s financial situation deteriorated, reports the TOI.