Mumbai MRI death case | Investigation will prove that doctors are not guilty: Hospital

Dr Saurabh Langekar, a first-year resident doctor from Nair Hospital’s medicine department, was looking after Laxmi Solanki, the patient in ICU and was in the MRI section when the mishap happened. Dr Langare has been suspended.

Dr Siddhart Shah, a first-year resident doctor of the radiology department, was present in the MRI room at the time of the incident as well. According to Dr Shah, he was helping the patient enter the room with the MRI machine. “The patient was suffering from breathlessness and was scheduled for an MRI at 2 pm on Saturday afternoon. I called them four to five times and they finally came for the MRI at around 7 pm.”

While eyewitnesses claim the victim was not forewarned about carrying an oxygen cylinder to the MRI facility, Dr Devdas Shetty, Head of Radiology Department, Nair Hospital said, “The CCTV footage clearly shows that the ward boy and aaya are telling the relatives not to take the oxygen cylinder into the room however the relatives still tried to take it in. It is an unfortunate and freak accident that happened within the span of one or two seconds. We are sure that a thorough investigation will prove that the doctors are not guilty.”

Dr Shetty added, “We carry out 30 MRIs on a daily basis and at least 10,000 in a year. There has been no incident of negligence reported ever. It is a big and reputed hospital and our doctors would not show such carelessness.” He also said, “We have now called engineers to identify technical faults, if any, that occurred in the MRI machine. The MRI section of the hospital will be closed for the next two days at least.”