Teen footballer dead: Hospital blamed for negligence after ACL surgery goes wrong

A teenage footballer from India's southern city of Chennai died on Tuesday, Nov. 15 due to alleged medical negligence at the Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital (RGGGH). Priya, a student of Queen Mary's College, died from multiple organ failure after initially going in to treat a ligament tear on her right leg.

The 18-year-old was a first-year Physical Education student at Queen Mary's College in Chennai. Priya was informed about the ligament tear on Oct. 26, by doctors at the Government Peripheral Hospital in Periyar Nagar. After a second opinion at RGGGH, it was decided that she will undergo the procedure.

The initial surgery to rectify her injury was performed at the Periyar Nagar hospital on Nov. 7. On the same evening, Priya complained of pain in her legs, for which she was prescribed medicines and a compression bandage. The pain did not subside, and the next morning she was moved to RGGGH after doctors detected a blood clot in her leg.

After running a series of tests, doctors informed Priya's family that muscle tissue on her right leg was dead. The only solution provided to save the young footballer's life was amputating her right leg. The surgery was performed on Nov. 9, which failed to yield the desired results.

Priya was forced to undergo a follow-up surgery after the amputation, which was also performed at RGGGH on Nov. 14. After which, the teenager, who was sedated and on a ventilator, was put under observation to ensure no further necrosis (death of body issue), as per hospital dean Dr. E. Theranirajan.

However, the Queen Mary's College student failed to recover and was pronounced dead on Tuesday due to multiple organ failure. Health Minister MA Subramaniam said that while the treatment for the ligament damage was not wrong, he acknowledged that Priya's death was caused by medical negligence.

According to The News Minute, two doctors from the Periya Nagar hospital were initially transferred before an inquiry took place. They have now been suspended and are likely to face legal action. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin has announced a compensation of 10 lakh for Priya's family, and a government job for a family member.