Superintendent and Police to probe 'uterus' error in male patient’s report

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Hospital Superintendent and the police have initiated an investigation into a severe lapse at the Thiruvananthapuram Medical College Hospital, where a 24-year-old man was issued a scanning report containing a bizarre biological error.

The patient, Shihas, a resident of Kazhakoottam, had sought treatment for abdominal pain. To his shock, his CT scan report stated that he possessed a uterus. The error came to light only when Shihas presented the report at a private hospital for further consultation.

Shihas initially sought treatment at the Medical College in February. He underwent a CT scan after paying a fee of ₹2,500. As his symptoms temporarily subsided, he did not immediately follow up. However, when the pain resurfaced recently, he consulted doctors at a private hospital, who pointed out the glaring absurdity in the medical document.

According to Shihas, when he returned to the Medical College to demand an explanation, the authorities were evasive. He alleges that instead of conducting a proper review or a fresh scan, staff members attempted to hush up the matter by issuing a revised report within 15 minutes. This led to a heated argument between the patient and the hospital staff, following which Shihas filed formal complaints with both the hospital administration and the police.

Preliminary findings suggest the blunder was a result of clerical negligence and a failure in the verification process:

• Template Error: The Radiology department uses standardised computer templates for CT scan reports. While Shihas's specific clinical findings were added, the staff failed to remove the default anatomical descriptions intended for female patients.
• Verification Failure: The radiologist in charge of signing off on the findings failed to notice the discrepancy, and the administrative staff issued the printout without a final quality check.

The investigation will now look into the accountability of the doctors and technicians involved in the Radiology department during that period.