A 16-year-old boy died on Wednesday evening at a multispecialty hospital due to an overdose of anaesthesia.

Abhishek, an only son of K Ramesh and Rekha, was admitted to a Panacea Hospital in Bangalore's Basaveshwaranagar on 17 March for gynecomastia surgery (a cosmetic surgery to reduce male's breast size). He was being prepared for liposuction when he suffered a cardiac arrest.

He was then shifted to Bangalore's Columbia Asia Hospital on 18 March.               

Abhishek was a student of Vidya Mandir Pre-University College in Malleshwaram. His parents claimed that an overdose of anaesthesia led to their son's condition. K Ramesh said that doctors at Panacea Hospital administered general anaesthesia and then numbed the breast region with local anaesthesia. The boy sudden had a cardiac arrest. Ramesh also alleged that he was informed about the complications only after his son was put on ventilator support in the ICU.

Denying the allegations, medical director of Panacea Hospital, Dr Jayanna said as soon as Abhishek suffered a cardiac arrest, doctors revived him and put him on ventilator support. 

On his parents' demands, Abhishek was shifted to Columbia Asia hospital the next day.

"The patient was brought to our hospital in a critical condition on the afternoon of March 18. He was in a coma when brought in, but was breathing spontaneously," Dr Aravind Kasaragod, chief of medical services, Columbia Asia, told The Times of India.

The family also blamed Columbia Asia hospital for keeping them in dark about their son's condition.

It is a known fact that there are some risks linked with general anaesthesia. A careful examination of the patient and medical history is required to determine the type of anaesthetic and the dosage to be used.

"There are certain conditions which can lead to reactions with anesthesia. Like history of malignant hyperthermia, or family history, or pre existing heart condition, etc. you have to learn that from patient's medical history. And you never know if a reaction can happen until you get that particular anesthesia medication. About overdose it's a different story," an anaesthesiology from St Luke Roosevelt Hospital, New York, told IBTimes India.

"Regarding anesthesia complication it may be due to drug allergy or over dose or any pre existing medical condition. This can be found out after obtaining the complete medical record."

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