By The Hindu Bureau

Copyright thehindu

The Health department has set up a multidisciplinary team of experts to inquire into the incident wherein a guidewire which was used to put a central line in a woman who underwent thyroidectomy surgery two years ago at General Hospital here was found not removed.

Replying to questions in the Assembly on Tuesday, Health Minister Veena George said the expert committee was still investigating the case and that all parties concerned, including patient Sumayya, the surgeon who performed the surgery and other members of the operating team, had given statements before the committee.

Though the surgery was performed on March 30, 2023, it was during one of her follow-up appointments at the Regional Cancer Centre for thyroid cancer in March 2025 that the guidewire showed up in an Xray.

The committee had been expanded to include interventional radiologist, cardiology and cardiothoracic surgeons.

Ms. George said in reply to questions that institution-level steps had been initiated following the complaint.

The Medical Education department has prepared guidelines for preventing surgical errors and theater staff are being given training and orientation classes regarding the same. A faculty member of the surgical unit performing the surgery as well as a designated nursing officer will be entrusted with the task of clearly communicating about patients post surgery status with the families, the Minister said.