A +ve blood for O +ve patient: Lab technician’s error triggers ICU emergency in Bengaluru | Bengaluru News

Bengaluru: A grave act of medical negligence at Government General Hospital, Jayanagar, nearly put a young patient’s life at risk Friday evening, with a routine blood transfusion turning into a medical emergency. The patient, who has an O-positive blood group, was mistakenly administered A-positive blood due to a critical error by a lab technician, forcing doctors to rush him to the ICU.Puneet Surya, in his late 20s, had been admitted for the treatment of anaemia and was in the middle of a blood transfusion when he suddenly began experiencing intense discomfort and a severe headache. Sensing that something was seriously wrong, he alerted the nurse on duty. Acting swiftly, she halted the transfusion and rushed to the laboratory to verify the blood sample.Her quick response revealed a shocking lapse: the lab technician had wrongly labelled an A-positive blood bag as O-positive. “The nurse stopped the transfusion immediately, and only a few millilitres of blood entered the patient’s system. He was shifted to the ICU for close observation, and his condition remains stable, with all vital parameters—including kidney function—within normal limits. This was a clear case of negligence that could have led to serious complications such as renal failure had more blood been administered. In view of the seriousness of the lapse, disciplinary action has been initiated against the lab technician,” said Dr Surendra KS, medical superintendent of the hospital.Maheshwari, Surya’s mother, has lodged a complaint at Tilak Nagar police station. “Surya is still under observation,” a family member said.In her complaint, Maheshwari alleged that a staffer from the blood bank administered A-positive blood to her son, despite his blood group being O-positive. “Within minutes, my son developed severe uneasiness and was shifted to the ICU,” she stated.She accused the blood bank staffer, identified as Umesh, of displaying a negligent and arrogant attitude when confronted. “When I questioned him about the mistake, he replied dismissively, saying that only 10 ml of blood had been administered and that my son did not die,” she alleged. “If anything happens to my son, I will hold the doctors and the blood bank staff responsible,” she said in her complaint, demanding strict action against those involved.Police said they will summon Umesh and others for questioning soon.