Mumbai: A man got sucked into an MRI machine and died at Mumbai’s civic-run Nair Hospital on Saturday. In a case of alleged medical negligence, the incident occurred minutes after he walked into the room carrying an oxygen cylinder, even though metal objects are not allowed inside MRI-testing rooms because of the magnetic field it creates when operational. The family alleged that the ward boy attached to the MRI section had allegedly asked them to carry the oxygen cylinder inside, assuring that it was safe as the machine was switched off, only it wasn’t.
Rajesh Shyamji Maru, 32, died as he had inhaled excess oxygen after the cylinder’s knob accidentally opened even as his body got sucked inside the MRI machine. Maru was attending to an elderly relative who had come for a scan.
The Agripada police has filed a case under section 304-A (causing death by negligence) of the IPC and arrested three hospital staff members, including the ward boy. DCP Virendra Mishra of Zone 3 said, “An FIR was registered against the hospital and they have arrested the doctor, Saurabh Lanjeka, 24, ward boy Vitthal Chavan, 35, and ward attendant Sunita Surve under Section 304-A (causing death by negligence) of the IPC.”
The hospital authorities have also handed over the CCTV footage to the police. Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis announced a compensation of Rs 5 lakh for the family of the victim.
When asked about alleged negligence on the part of the hospital’s staff, that resulted in the oxygen cylinder being allowed inside the MRI room, Nair Hospital Dean Dr Ramesh Bharmal said, “There was no place meant for the oxygen cylinder. Accidentally, the oxygen cylinder also went inside along with the person and he died.”
Ward boy told man to carry cylinder
Maru was a resident of Lalbaug and the sole bread earner of his family. He had gone to the hospital to visit his sister’s mother-in-law Laxmiben Solanki, 62, who was ailing with fever. Maru, who worked as a salesman, was helping Solanki get inside the MRI room, when a ward boy asked him to take her oxygen cylinder inside.
Talking to this newspaper, the deceased’s uncle Jaysingh Maru said, “As Laxmiben was on oxygen, the technician-cum-ward boy present inside the MRI ward, told him to carry the oxygen cylinder inside the MRI scan room due to which Maru died.”
He also said, “As Maru entered the MRI room, the machine sucked him in due to the magnetic force as he had oxygen cylinder with him. His relatives and other ward boys came there after hearing the sound and pulled him out.” He also mentioned that Maru was rushed to the emergency ward as he was bleeding copiously, but he died there. No hospital authority has approached us accepting their mistake.”
How to use MRI machine properly
- Safety aspects that must be followed by medical team, patients and also relatives of patients during MRI scans.
- MRI is a strong, static magnetic field attracting magnetic objects.
- Keep keys, cellphones, oxygen cylinders, tanks and floor buffers away from an MRI unit. They can can become projectiles and can injure, harm or kill a person.
- Relatives should not be allowed inside during the time of MRI diagnosis.
- Patients with implants like stents, cochlear implants, knee implants are not to go for MRI diagnosis.
- These devices implanted must have no metal and must be MRI Safe or MRI conditional.
- External implants like pacemakers, insulin pumps and other devices like ventilator or patient monitor can also affect the MRI diagnosis.
- The patients and the medical team must be aware of the effect of MRI on implants.
Inputs from Indian Radiology and Imaging Association member Dr B. Ahuja
