09.09.2025 13:32
In Şırnak, 6-year-old Aram Devran Ötün was taken to the hospital after experiencing coughing and vomiting following the ingestion of a piece of cucumber during a picnic. It was revealed that an 18-centimeter catheter, which had been inserted into his vein during treatment for Stevens-Johnson syndrome—an extremely rare condition occurring once in a million—was left in his body. The catheter was found to have caused damage to the child's heart valve and lungs.
Semra (37) and Mehmet Ötün (40), who live in Şırnak, took their son Aram Devran Ötün to Şırnak State Hospital after he started coughing and vomiting following the ingestion of a piece of cucumber during a picnic in May. An X-ray and MRI revealed that a catheter had been left in Aram's body.
18-CENTIMETER CATHETER REMOVED BY SURGERY Aram, who was transferred to the Women's and Children's Health Building of Gazi Yaşargil Training and Research Hospital in Diyarbakır, underwent a risky surgery lasting 5.5 hours to remove the 18-centimeter-long catheter. Subsequent examinations revealed that the catheter had damaged his heart valve and lungs.
UNBELIEVABLE MISTAKE IN THE TREATMENT OF A RARE DISEASE The family filed a lawsuit against Dicle University Hospital, where their son Aram was treated for Stevens-Johnson syndrome, a rare condition occurring in one in a million, in September 2022, through their lawyers. Dicle University also stated that an administrative investigation has been initiated regarding the matter.
"IT WAS DETERMINED THAT IT DAMAGED HIS HEART VALVE AND LUNGS" The family's lawyer, Ahmet Yalçın, stated that they have both complained and filed a lawsuit against the hospital, saying, "My client Aram Devran Ötün was treated for Stevens-Johnson disease at Dicle University Hospital in September 2022. A catheter was placed in him during the treatment. It is 18 centimeters long. It was left in his body due to gross negligence while being inserted. In May, my client was taken to Şırnak State Hospital because he was coughing a lot. It was determined here that the catheter had been forgotten. He was then taken to Diyarbakır Gazi Yaşargil Women's and Children's Hospital. He underwent a very risky surgery, and the catheter was removed. It was determined that this catheter had traveled within the body. There is a significant difference between the entry and exit points, and it was determined that it had damaged his heart valve and lungs. We applied to Dicle University to compensate for both the material and moral damages of my clients. We did not receive a response within the 30-day response period. We also filed our lawsuit for compensation for material and moral damages at the Diyarbakır Administrative Court and complained about the responsible parties," he said.
"HE COUGHED UNTIL EVENING AFTER SWALLOWING A PIECE OF CUCUMBER" Semra Ötün, stating that her son started to cough and vomit continuously after swallowing a piece of cucumber during the picnic, said, "My child had Stevens-Johnson syndrome three years ago. It is a disease caused by antibiotics, which is seen in one in a million. That's what the doctors said. They urgently transferred us to the pediatric department of Diyarbakır Dicle University. We had a one-month intensive care process. He stayed 28 days in intensive care and 3 days in the ward. They inserted serum through the vein and groin. A wire called a catheter was left in my child's body. It was not noticed when we were discharged. After three years, we noticed this. We went on a picnic. My son swallowed a piece of cucumber and coughed until the evening after swallowing the cucumber. He did not stop at all. He was vomiting. I started to suspect. My child was not normal. Then I consulted my husband. We took him to the emergency room around 9 PM. An X-ray and MRI were done. We realized that something strange was happening. The doctor showed us the X-ray. A wire was left inside. In a very bad way. After the emergency doctor took the film, they arranged for us to be transferred to Diyarbakır without delay," she expressed.
"WE WERE DEVASTATED AS A FAMILY" Semra Ötün stated, "We went to Diyarbakır Gazi Yaşargil Training and Research Hospital's Women's and Children's Health Building. They said they would remove the wire through angiography from the child's groin, but it was a risky surgery. During that process, the child was really getting tired constantly. He would sit down every now and then. He would say, 'Mom, I am very tired, my stomach hurts.' I was trying to manage it with painkillers. I learned that this wire had remained in my child for three years. We were devastated as a family," she said.
"MY CHILD WAS IN SURGERY FOR 5.5 HOURS" The mother Ötün, stating that they went through very difficult days, concluded her words with the following statements: "My child was in surgery for about 5.5 hours. The doctor who entered the surgery was coming out in a bad way. He was saying that he was in a very difficult place and that they were tired. The doctor said, 'We are throwing materials, materials are coming, but the wire is not coming at all.' Then finally, one doctor came out and said, 'We have two options: either open-heart surgery or the child will be exposed to that wire for life.' Both options were very painful for me. Then a professor entered, and they succeeded in the surgery. They removed it. Right now, there is a problem with the heart valve. My child is being treated because of this. We went through very painful days. We went through very difficult days. Our hearts ached; may no one else suffer. I couldn't believe it when the doctors told me. I was in shock. Because my child has been a monitored patient for three years, we constantly go back and forth to Diyarbakır and Ankara. I couldn't believe it. I didn't believe it until I saw it with my own eyes. We were very upset."
WHAT IS STEVENS-JOHNSON SYNDROME? Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS) is a rare but serious hypersensitivity reaction that affects the skin and mucous membranes. It usually develops in response to medications and is characterized by widespread rashes, blisters, and peeling of the skin due to an excessive response from the immune system. Painful sores can also develop in mucous membranes such as the eyes, mouth, nose, and genital areas. The disease can progress rapidly, requiring urgent medical intervention, and its treatment is typically conducted in a hospital setting with intensive supportive care.