Mexican woman with stomach pains misdiagnosed, uterus and legs removed instead

The National Human Rights Commission (CNDH) demanded on Tuesday that the Mexican Social Security Institute (IMSS) make full reparations to a woman who received a misdiagnosis, which caused her cardiac arrest, septic shock. It resulted in the removal of her uterus and the amputation of her legs.

Una paciente del @Tu_IMSS en #Querétaro sufrió la amputación de ambas piernas e histerectomía a consecuencia de un diagnóstico erróneo; emitimos la #Recomendación 118/2022 solicitando la reparación del daño a la víctima.

Consúltala 🔗 https://t.co/K7JMibzibH#DefendemosAlPueblo pic.twitter.com/WxpeVUwe2A

— CNDH en México (@CNDH) July 5, 2022

"They transgressed the rights to health protection, personal integrity, sexual and reproductive health, and damaged the life project of a 27-year-old woman due to inadequate diagnosis, treatment, and medical follow-up," the CNDH said, according to Animal Politico.

In September 2018, the woman went to an IMSS hospital in Querétaro after experiencing abdominal pain. She was then diagnosed with a urinary tract infection and colitis without laboratory studies, although she was given treatment.

Since the discomfort continued, the woman went to a general hospital, where she was informed that she had to remove the Intrauterine Device she had in her body because it was translocated. At that hospital, where she did not undergo any tests, x-rays, or ultrasound. Hospital staff removed the device with tweezers.

Three days later, the victim visited her family doctor for low back pain. Although the woman told him that she had just had her IUD removed, the doctor diagnosed acute low back pain without performing further tests.

However, her health deteriorated again, and she was eventually hospitalized with a generalized infection and had to be intubated and given a blood transfusion. She subsequently suffered a cardiac arrest and was resuscitated for 30 minutes. Her uterus and ovary were removed and she later both legs were amputated.

Faced with this, the victim turned to the Human Rights Ombudsman's Office in June 2019, where she denounced the medical units that treated her for having provided her with deficient medical care.

After investigating the case, the CNDH requested sufficient financial compensation, that the victim have access to social programs and that she be granted scholarships for her two directly affected family members. In addition, it requested that she be given continuous psychological and psychiatric care until she reaches her psychological and emotional healing.

In a four-paragraph message, IMSS stated that it analyzed the CNDH's conclusions and reaffirmed its commitment to protecting human rights.