Kidney removed ‘without permission’

Express news service Posted: Feb 14, 2008 at 0220 hrs
Kolkata, February 13 Tension prevailed at the SSKM hospital after relatives of a 21-year-college student claimed today that doctors had extracted one of her kidneys without consent.

The surgery had taken place on December 13. The family however, is yet to lodge an official complaint.

Ratna Patra (21), a resident of Bhawanipur and a student of Jogmayadevi college, was diagnosed with chronic renal failure at the SSKM hospital.

Both her kidneys were affected. She was under the treatment of Dr S K Bhattacharya at the nephrology department.

Later, doctors found a tumor in her right kidney and she was operated upon by Dr Ranjit Das.

“Her condition deteriorated after the surgery. No one from the hospital had informed us in December that they were going to remove her kidney. Three days ago, she underwent ultra-sonography at the hospital. I saw the report yesterday, which stated that they had removed her right kidney,” said Shibu Patra, her father.

“Yesterday, the doctors asked us to take her home, as nothing else could be done at this stage. I am consulting with other family members regarding lodging an official complaint,” said Patra, a driver by profession.

Today Ratna’s relatives barged in at the nephrology department and held protests in front of doctors.

“We demand an explanation. Why were we kept in the dark and now they are asking us to take her home,” her father said.

The SSKM authorities claimed that all procedures were adhered to before the surgery, including the consent of the family, which is on hospital records.

“The kidney was operated on with permission from her guardians. We have all relevant papers. They have not lodged any complaint,” said professor Ashok Ghosh, superintendent of SSKM hospital.

Abhijit Tarafdar, Head of the Department, Nephrology, said all procedures were followed and the doctors did whatever had to be done to save her.