Scissors Removed From Woman's Stomach 5 Years After Bungled Surgery

A woman in India endured five years of suffering after a roughly 4.3-inch-long pair of scissors was left inside her stomach during a C-section.

Harsheena Ashraf, from the Indian state of Kerala, filed a complaint about the shocking mishap, which led to officials announcing a probe into the case, Deccan Herald reported Sunday.

Ashraf said the ordeal began after her third cesarean in 2017 as she came out of her delivery with severe stomach pain.

"It was on November 30, 2017 that I underwent a caesarean. Following that I used to have recurring pain in my stomach," she said, according to India.com.

The woman said she initially dismissed the pain as the aftereffect of her delivery.

"I thought it was due to the caesarean surgery. I approached many doctors ... I thought either I had kidney stones or some sort of cancer," the woman was quoted as saying by the Times of India.

However, the pain became excruciating and caused the woman urinary infections as the metal object pressed against her bladder. Doctors put Ashraf on strong antibiotics, but she found no relief.

"Despite numerous consultations and checkups my pain failed to subside," the woman added.

When the pain worsened over the last six months, Ashraf had scans taken and finally found out that she was living with a pair of "mosquito artery forceps" inside her body. Forceps look similar to scissors and are commonly used by doctors during surgical procedures.

"Finally when I found the pain unbearable I again visited a hospital and when a CT scan was conducted, I was told that a metal object was in my stomach. Later I was told it was a scissor," she reportedly said.

Doctors removed the object from her body on Sept. 17.

Ashraf went on to file a complaint and is demanding action against the doctors responsible for leaving the forceps inside her body and causing her five years of suffering due to their negligence.

Veena George, the state's health minister, ordered a probe into the incident Saturday and said action will be taken against those responsible.

The medical college in question said it is investigating the circumstances, adding that the woman underwent two other surgeries at other hospitals prior to the cesarean.

"We have ordered a probe," said a hospital official, who was also told by the staff that none of their surgical equipment was missing following the surgery.