The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : No human error in eye hospital episode: probe

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Friday, Jan 22, 2010
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

No human error in eye hospital episode: probe

Rajulapudi Srinivas

Eye infections caused due to contamination of some ‘Ringer Lactate’ bottles used at Bollineni Eye Hospital

Bollineni Eye Hospital doctors perform cataract surgeries on 36 patients in eye camps in Oct-09
A total of 23 patients lost vision in one eye after the surgeries were performed

NELLORE: The Central Investigation Team which probed into the Bollineni Eye Hospital episode confirmed that the incident occurred due to contamination of some Ringer Lactate bottles and ruled out any negligence of doctors in the surgeries.

The Bollineni Eye Hospital and Research Centre located in Nellore city conducted cataract surgeries for 36 patients in the eye camps organised on October 19 and 20, last year of which 23 patients complained of post operative eye infections.

A total of 23 patients lost vision in one eye and the doctors removed the infected eye balls for 11 patients in the tragic incident.

The State and Central investigation committees, Drug Control Administration (DCA) and the District Level Enquiry Committee conducted enquiry and submitted reports to the government over the incident recently.

The State investigation committee inferred that the infection was caused by some contaminated ringer lactate bottles in batch No. RL 2905 used for the surgery.

The Central investigation team too expressed the same opinion (Copies of the enquiry reports available with The Hindu).

Both the teams stated that the prima facie investigation did not establish any negligence on part of the surgeons or paramedical staff of Bollineni Eye Hospital in performing surgeries or in sterilising the equipment used during the surgeries.

The Central investigation team recommended the government to take measures to ban/blacklist the company manufacturing the ringer lactate solution.

Particles found

In another incident, the District Government Headquarters Hospital authorities sent a few ringer lactate bottles (of another batch) for examination.

Speaking to The Hindu, District Ophthalmic Surgeon M. Manjulamma said as some particles were found in the bottles purchased by the hospital, the matter was reported to Drug Control Authority officials who in turn sent the suspected solution for laboratories. The report was awaited.

Bollineni Eye Hospital director N. Sai Murali appealed to the government to give permission for taking up surgeries as the incident occurred due to contamination of the drug.

Requisition made

A requisition had been made to the Nellore district Collector to allow eye operations in the hospital, which were stopped after the tragic incident in October last year, Dr. Sai Murali said.

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