Glass pieces left inside patient's wound, doctor says ‘Sorry’

An investigation has been launched after emergency department personnel at Chilmari Upazila Health Complex in Kurigram sewed up a patient's wound leaving glass fragments inside, prompting the health official in charge to issue an apology.

Dr. Aminul Islam, the Health and Family Planning Officer at Chilmari Upazila Health Complex, offered an apology regarding the oversight after two glass pieces were surgically extracted from the patient's arm at a private clinic 35 days after the initial treatment.

The victim, Saidar Ali—an auto-rickshaw driver hailing from the Majiderpar area and son of Khairuddin—sustained a severe laceration to his left arm on September 25 while rushing to switch off the main electrical breaker after his wife and child received an electric shock from a charging vehicle battery. In his attempt to save them, his arm struck a glass door on a cabinet.

Family members brought him to the Chilmari Upazila Health Complex emergency department, where ward boys allegedly sutured the bleeding wound without inspecting the internal laceration for foreign debris.

Ali endured severe pain and physical discomfort in his left arm for over a month. As the arm began to deteriorate, he was admitted to Sheba Clinic in Kurigram, where X-ray scans revealed two glass fragments embedded under the skin. Surgeons subsequently performed an operation on October 30 to extract the fragments.

Commenting on the incident, Dr. Aminul Islam stated that the oversight occurred accidentally and assured that he is actively investigating the circumstances surrounding the duty personnel's negligence.

-SA