TN Government orders inquiry into "world record breast cancer operations"

Madurai, Aug 28 (ANI): Tamil Nadu State Health Department has ordered an inquiry into claims of doctors of the Rajaji Government Hospital on performing 14 breast cancer surgeries in three and half hours.

On Thursday, the hospital's oncology department's head Dr. B.K.C.R. Mohan Prasad, announced in a press conference that an in-house team of three doctors including himself, chief anaesthetist Dr R.Chandrasekhar and surgeon Dr Gopinath had achieved the "feat" by operating non-stop on patients from 8.30a.m. to noon on August 24.

Hospital dean Dr S. M. Sivakumar added "non-stop lumpectomy on 14 women is proof of the facilities available in the hospital."

Hospital authorities also claimed that this was done to gain a place in the Guinness Book of World Records.

The development however, has shocked the medical fraternity in the state.

Hospital sources claimed that the "feat" was videotaped and sent to Guinness authorities through the Tamil Nadu Government.

Meanwhile, condemning the act of the hospital the State Health Department said it has not issued any permission for such an exercise and constituted a team led by state's Medical Education Director Dr.S.Vinayagam for an inquiry onto the incident.

"We do not approve of it and we have not sent it to any agency for recognition. Safety is our prime concern and we condemn anything that can risk a patient's life," said Tamil Nadu Health Secretary VK Subburaj.

The Tamil Nadu State Medical Council and the Indian Medical Association, termed the act a blatant violation of the Hippocratic Oath. (ANI)