After being diagnosed with breast cancer, the 45-year-old Kumud Devi from Bihar underwent mastectomy of her right breast at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) last month (April 3).

But the post-operation pathology report said there she didn’t have breast cancer.

But the AIIMS authorities said that this happened only because of mixing-up of her tissue samples sent to the pathology department.

Oncosurgeon Dr. Anurag Srivastav and his group operated on Kumud Devi on April 3 after her cyto-pathology report told that she had cancer.

Kumud had been advised surgery after she underwent tests for a cyst in her right breast.

Vikas Kumar Pandey, Kumud’s son said, “Before the operation, the doctors asked me if they should remove only the cyst or the entire breast. I told them to remove the breast only if it was absolutely necessary.”

However, the post-operation report said, “...On cut section no definite growth is identified... No residual tumour is seen in the... sections studied.”

According to AIIMS authorities, the examinations that were done before the surgery were all positive for breast cancer.

The authorities, meanwhile, insisted that a mistake happened when the tissue samples were sent to the pathology department from the operation theatre,

Dr, YK Gupta said, “Reports from Breast Imaging Radiology Data System (BRIAD) revealed grade V, which is an indication of definite cancer. The patient was subjected to FNAC where the pathologist also confirmed cancer.”

“Looking at the histopathology report (post surgery), it appears that there could be a mix-up of tissues, when transporting from operation theatre to pathology department, as the tissues are sent in multiples,” Dr. Gupta added.

Dr. Gupta added that AIIMS is in the process of setting up a perfect system of transporting tissues from operation theatre to pathology in order to avoid such mistakes in future.

A few months back, a senior citizen had died at AIIMS after he underwent a heart surgery.