A dental procedure to enhance his smile days ahead of his wedding allegedly led to the death of a 28-year-old man in Hyderabad.
Laxmi Narayan Vinjan died at a hospital in Jubilee Hills on February 16 after he was brought in unconscious following a cosmetic dental procedure at a private clinic here.
The Jubilee Hills police registered an FIR under section 304 (A) of the Indian Penal Code for culpable homicide not amounting to murder based on a complaint from his father Vinjan Ramulu.
The 63-year-old bereaved father has accused the hospital, FMS International Dental Center, of fatal negligence. According to Ramulu’s complaint, his son was administered anaesthesia during the ‘smile designing’ dental procedure and fell unconscious.
Laxmi Narayan left for the clinic at about 2 pm, and the father learned about the mishap at about 9 pm upon calling his son on the phone. The clinic staff informed him that Laxmi Narayan was taken to Apollo Hospital and the doctors declared him dead after examination. The father alleged in the complaint that it was due to the negligence of the dentist and excessive dosage of anaesthesia that his son died.
Station house officer (SHO) of Jubilee Hills police station, K Venkateshwar Reddy, said the investigation is in progress. “We are awaiting the post-mortem examination report and the investigation will proceed as per the findings,” the SHO said. The police are in the process of examining medical records and CCTV footage from the clinic.
FMS International has denied medical negligence on its part. Dr B V Rama Krishna Reddy, chief maxillofacial surgeon at FMS International, told indianexpress.com that protocols as per the textbook were followed during the “bridge removal and crown lengthening” procedure and captured in CCTV cameras.
According to him, Laxmi Narayan Vinjan and his mother first visited the clinic on January 30 regarding changing his existing dental bridge on the lower front teeth. On February 16, he reached the clinic an hour before the appointment and wanted to get done with the procedure the same day, Dr Reddy said.
Costing about Rs 50,000 to Rs 60,000, it is a commonly performed procedure with a very simple dosage of anaesthesia. According to Dr Reddy, in all their 14 clinics across Hyderabad, FMS International performs around a hundred such procedures in a month.
In Laxmi Narayan’s case, all was well during the three hours of bridge removal and crown lengthening until he felt post-operative pain while waiting to fix temporary teeth, said Dr Reddy. “Usually, such pain is common, and we give painkillers about 40 minutes after the procedure. In his case, since he said he felt pain, we gave him a painkiller mixed with water immediately. After the first gulp, he wanted to puke. He was restless, wanted to use the toilet and complained of stomach cramps,” he said.
The patient was given antacids and anti-allergic tablets but he could not take them in, the surgeon said, adding that he suffered two back-to-back seizures and his blood pressure and pulse were going down. “We started CPR, connected oxygen and gave emergency medicines. The ambulance arrived by 8.20 and continued resuscitation while taking him to the hospital. Even after 45 minutes, at 9 pm, he could not be revived.”
Dr Reddy said nothing was abnormal about the patient’s visit to the clinic except that he was anxious. “He was communicating fine about the bridge removal and root canal he had undergone earlier and spoke about what he wanted now. He wanted to get this done on the same day since his wedding and some ceremonies were approaching. We have followed all the protocols as per the textbook. We ourselves are not able to understand. We are waiting for the post-mortem report and the medical team of doctors on what they have to say,” he added.
Aisha Patel is a dedicated Indian correspondent with a deep understanding of the nation’s diverse affairs. With a background in Indian culture, politics, and current events, she provides in-depth analysis and timely reporting on domestic issues within India.
