‘Improper’ blood storage leads to woman’s death, family gets Rs 10.25 lakh payout

A Himachal Pradesh Consumer Commission has ordered a payment of more than Rs 10.25 lakh to the family of a woman who died following complications from a blood transfusion during her knee replacement surgery at a private nursing home. The commission found the facility guilty of medical negligence due to improper blood storage and record-keeping.

The woman was admitted for a left total knee replacement on March 22, 2023, and the blood unit was retained for over 22 hours without proper storage. The blood centre had specified storage temperatures between 2°C and 6°C in a dedicated refrigerator, but the nursing home's unit was found to have a non-functional temperature monitor and an illegible temperature chart.

The commission noted discrepancies in the transfusion records and the discharge summary, which omitted the transfusion and adverse reaction details. The woman developed sepsis, multiple organ dysfunction syndrome, septic shock, and acute kidney injury after her death on March 28, with suspected transfusion-related acute lung injury.

The nursing home was held liable for negligence due to their failure to follow standard procedures and the discrepancies in their records. The commission ordered the nursing home to pay Rs 10 lakh compensation and Rs 25,000 towards litigation costs, while also imposing a Rs 50,000 punitive fine to be deposited into the District Consumer Legal Aid Fund in Kangra.