Swab in Abdomen

Kai Tiaki : the journal of the nurses of New Zealand, Volume XVI, Issue 2, 1 April 1923, Page 83

Swab in Abdomen

At the present time a case is being tried in Auckland, which is of great interest to Surgeons and Nurses. An action is brought against Dr. Frazer Hurst, formerly Medical Superintendent of Whangarei Hospital, by an ex-patient, who. in November, 1920, was taken to hospital for Caesarean Section. This was performed successfully and both mother and child recovered, but subsequent operations were necessary, one to drain off fluid from the abdomen, and one for appendectomy. Later, it was suspected that a swab was still in the abdomen, though no peritonitis was present. A fourth operation was therefore performed, the abdomen opened up and the swab found and removed. The defence rests on the fact that the first operation was an emergency one,

performed with an inefficient staff, owing to the outbreak of influenza and the illness of the then Matron, who although present was not able to give her usual able assistance, and although there is no denial that the swab was actually left in when it should have been accounted for, the circumstances were a partial excuse for this accident. The jury disagreed as to the verdict, and a fresh trial has been ordered. Such cases are fortunately not very common, and are frequently only discovered after the death of the patient. In this case the fact that the life of the patient and her infant were saved considerably lessens its serious aspect. It appears strange that so long a time should elapse before the action was taken.