VARANASI, April 16 -- A surgeon's knife paused midway through an operation at Trauma Centre, Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University (IMS-BHU), on March 7 with the realisation that the wrong patient lay on the table. A name mismatch had led the orthopaedics team to operate on a 71-year-old's leg instead of her spine. The confusion arose because two patients with identical names were admitted to different departments, Radhika Devi, 71, in neurosurgery and Radhika Devi, 82, in orthopaedics with a fractured leg. The surgery was immediately halted and the patient was shifted to the neurosurgery department. A correct spinal surgery was performed on March 18. Radhika Devi, 82, remained admitted for seven days following the procedure. Her grandson Mrityunjay Pal stated that on the morning of March 27, his grandmother developed severe respiratory distress and died due to cardiopulmonary arrest. Pal filed a complaint on April 1, alleging the erroneous surgery triggered severe complications: ulcers, memory loss, tremors in the jaw, oral pain, breathing difficulties. "Prior to the surgery, no information whatsoever was provided to us," Pal alleged. According to the Trauma Centre in-charge prof Saurabh Singh's report, the orthopaedics 'B' team performed the surgery on March 7. "The error was discovered only after an incision was made near her thigh." IMS-BHU director professor SN Sankhwar said, "This is a very serious matter. A committee has been formed to investigate. An investigation is underway. Action will be taken against those responsible once the report is complete." htc...