The patient had conceived, and was consulting a gynaecologist for medical care. She experienced sharp abdominal pain and was advised by the doctor for USG and BETA HCG tests.

USG reported ruptured ectopic pregnancy and BETA HCG levels were way below accepted level. The patient wanted to reconfirm the findings, and hence another USG was performed. It too reported ruptured ectopic pregnancy.

The gynaecologist meanwhile prescribed some medicines, but the patient did not get any relief. She was taken to a hospital where the doctors diagnosed her condition as serious and removed the fallopian tubes.

The patient, aged fifty-seven years, was diagnosed with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and bladder outlet obstruction (BOO). The surgeon performed transurethral resection of prostate (TURP); the procedure was uneventful.

The patient was discharged after four days with an advice to follow up after seven days; he did not heed to the advice.

Is it necessary to keep the patient admitted for post-op observation after a major surgery? State Commission’s ruling in this case affirms so.

The patient, a twelve-year-old girl, had undergone tracheostomy when she was about two-and-half years old. She experienced breathing difficulty and hence, was taken to a hospital where she was advised to undergo cordectomy. She was also advised to consult the doctor and hospital where tracheostomy was performed earlier.

The young girl and her family consulted the doctor and hospital as advised. The doctor performed cordectomy, discharged her the next day. Unfortunately, she died a day thereafter.

A man had received employment opportunity from a company based in Bahrain. He was required to undergo HIV screening test from a pathology lab appointed by Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). To his sheer disbelief, the lab reported HIV reactive; twice!

He got HIV screening test done at a local government hospital, and twice at a private pathology lab. All reported HIV negative. The GCC-approved pathology lab was sued. 

The patient suffered from post-menopausal bleeding. She consulted a local doctor who suspected cervical cancer, and referred her to an oncologist at a reputed private hospital.

The oncologist performed MRI, confirming local doctor’s suspicion. The test reported stage IIA cervical cancer. The patient underwent several rounds of chemotherapy, radiotherapy and brachytherapy.

After about six weeks, another MRI was performed which did not report any malignancy in the cervical area. The patient was discharged.

A month thereafter, the patient was taken to another doctor at another hospital with complains of backache. This doctor suspected skeletal metastases, which was confirmed by MRI.

A pregnant woman visited the sonologist at his lab. USG was performed; it reported abnormal growth and hence, the child was aborted.

After a year or so, the lady conceived again. She visited the sonologist; USG reported unhealthy gestational sac measuring 26mm. Abortion was advised.

The patient, however, chose to reconfirm sonologist’s findings. She got USG from two different centres, none of them reported any abnormality.

This case is an interesting and an unfortunate one for many reasons. Prime among them is how the hospital and its doctors, as reported, tried to cover their mistake and the way in which State Consumer Commission discovered and exposed the folly.

The patient, a wife and a mother, was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. She was admitted to the hospital under care of a team of doctors. At first, she underwent chemotherapy sessions. After about five months, another doctor performed laparoscopic splenectomy. But to no avail; the middle-aged woman kept suffering.

She was admitted yet again after about three months with complains of dehydration and weakness. She succumbed to the ailments after ten days.