Maggots in patient’s surgical wound: Kerala Health Minister orders inquiry

Kerala Health Minister K Muraleedharan has sought an inquiry into the incident wherein the relatives of a patient at Government Medical College, Thiruvananthapuram, alleged that maggots were found in the surgical wound of the patient who had been shifted to the ward after spending the post-surgical period in the intensive care unit.

The complaint was raised by the family of Rajendraprasad of Paripally, who had been admitted to the MCH following a road traffic accident with serious injuries to the legs. He had undergone an orthopaedic surgery wherein a metal rod had to be inserted to repair the fractured bone and his injured limb had been kept stabilised using an external fixator.

The patient’s family had alleged that maggots were found on the patient’s injured limb after he was shifted to the ward, after the initial post-operative period in the ICU. After the family raised the issue, the patient was reportedly shifted back to the ICU. The family also alleged that though they had informed the nursing staff about finding maggots on the leg, nothing was done about it.

When contacted, the MCH superintendent, CG Jayachandran, said he had received a report about the incident and that he had asked the Head of Orthopaedics to inquire into it.

He said that even when the ICU is a sterile space, people are moving in and out of the ICU, food is being carried in and then there are many patients who need diaper change. There were hence opportunities for flies to sneak in. Wound myiasis (the condition wherein flies are attracted to open wounds or secretions and lay eggs which hatch into maggots in a day or two) has been clinically documented in ICUs and it would be enquired into, he said.

Report sought

Mr. Muraleedharan said that he had asked a four-member committee, including the Vice Principal of the MCH, the superintendent and the heads of Orthopaedics and General Surgery to inquire into the incident and submit a report by Wednesday evening. He said that the hospital staff, who allegedly misbehaved with the patient’s family, would be sent for counselling.