Samut Prakan woman fears a kidney was stolen during routine surgery; govt, medical council to investigate

Government doctors are investigating the mystery of a woman and her missing kidney. Some fear it may have been illegally harvested for sale.

The 43-year-old Samut Prakan woman recently discovered she has only one kidney. She suspects it was removed during surgery on an ovarian cyst.

Public Health Deputy Minis-ter Wicharn Meenchainant says the medical-registration division is looking into the case.

Kesorn Phoomcham will be examined by government doctors and undergo computed tomography at Rajavithi Hospital. The history of her previous surgeries will be looked at.

Kesorn discovered she had only 40-per-cent kidney function during an annual medical earlier this month. An ultrasound revealed she had only one kidney.

Two kidneys in 2005

In 2005 Kesorn had a motor accident and tests then at Bang-kok Prapadang Hospital showed nothing untoward with her organs.

A year later she experienced abdominal pain and was admitted to another private hospital for surgery to remove an ovarian cyst.

Medical misadventure

Medical Council president, Dr Somsak Lohlekha is sceptical the woman lost her kidney to medical misadventure.

The council will, nevertheless, investigate the matter. He says it's too early to contemplate the illegal harvesting of organs for sale as a cause.

Health Service Support chief Dr Suppachai Kunarattanapruek says kidney transplants are controlled by the Red Cross Society. Donors and recipients register with the society, which then matches them.

Daily Xpress discovered many people selling their kidneys on the Web for between Bt300,000 and Bt800,000 an organ.