…After Fibroid Surgery at Lagos Hospital

A Lagos family has raised serious concerns over what they describe as a disturbing chain of events following a fibroid surgery at a private medical facility, alleging post-operative complications that eventually led to the death of their loved one.

The sister of the deceased patient, Beady Nnanna, gave a detailed and emotional account of the incident, which she said began after her sister, Asita, underwent surgery on March 28, 2023, at OAR Medical Centre Ile Epo, Abule Egba, Lagos.

According to her, the procedure appeared to be completed successfully, and the patient was brought out of the theatre approximately four hours later. She said the patient was then placed in a room adjacent to the operating theatre where immediate post-operative care was administered.

However, she alleged that concerns began almost immediately after the patient was moved from the theatre area.

She explained that hospital staff attempted to give the patient milk and Milo shortly after surgery, an action she said she strongly objected to.

“I objected when they wanted to give her milk and Milo because I knew she had just come out of surgery. I told them it wasn’t right. But they insisted it was their routine. I was the only one objecting against many of them, maybe ten people, and in the end, they had their way,” she recounted.

Nnanna said she felt overwhelmed by the number of staff insisting on the procedure, adding that her objections were dismissed despite her concerns about the patient’s condition.

She further alleged that shortly after, she was informed that the patient needed to be moved upstairs within the facility, even though she had just undergone major surgery.

According to her, the theatre was located on an upper floor while the ward was downstairs, creating what she described as a physically challenging situation for a post-operative patient.

She said she questioned how someone in that condition could be expected to climb stairs and asked whether a stretcher was available. She was reportedly told that no stretcher was on site.

Nnanna explained that hospital staff eventually assisted in manually moving the patient upstairs, a process she described as concerning given her sister’s condition at the time.

In the days that followed—on March 29 and March 30—she said her sister initially appeared to be stable and responsive, giving the family hope that recovery was progressing normally.

However, she said the situation began to change as the patient started experiencing increasing pain and noticeable abdominal swelling.

Alarmed by the development, Nnanna said she approached medical staff and requested further investigation into her sister’s condition. She said she specifically asked for a scan to determine the cause of the swelling and persistent pain.

She stated that she later spoke to a doctor identified as Dr. Abiodun Ojifinni, urging him to investigate further as the symptoms worsened.

According to her account, a scan was eventually carried out, and the results allegedly revealed that surgical scissors had been left inside the patient’s abdomen following the procedure.

She said the discovery left the family devastated, as they struggled to understand how such an outcome could have occurred after what was described as a routine fibroid surgery.

Nnanna believes this finding marked the turning point in her sister’s condition and eventual deterioration.

As of the time of filing this report, the hospital and the medical personnel mentioned in the account have not publicly responded to the allegations.

The case has since raised broader concerns among readers about surgical safety standards, post-operative monitoring, and patient handling practices in private medical facilities.