Doctor changes opinion post opeations, patient dies
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, July 25, 2012: A woman patient whose appendix was removed, obviously due to appendicitis was later told by the same doctor that her case might be tuberculosis.

But the patient passed away without knowing whether her fatal illness was TB or appendicitis or other diseases.

Maibam (O) Mema (43) of Langol Housing Complex, Type-II had her appendix removed on May 29 this year at the advice of Urologist Dr Rajen.

Speaking to media persons at Manipur Press Club here today, Maibam Panky, son of late Mema narrated that his mother was first taken to RIMS.

There doctors said that the his mother's infection/illness can be examined by taking ultrasound image but it would take some time to determine the result.

At this, Mema was taken to Imphal Hospital after taking ultrasound image at RIMS.

When Dr Rajen examined Mema in Imphal Hospital's OPD on May 28, the doctor said that it was a case of appendicitis and advised removal of appendix on the same day.

However, the surgical operation could not be done on the day due to financial shortage.

Nevertheless, Mema had her appendix removed at 2 pm of the next day.

Before the surgical operation was conducted, Dr Rajen was shown the result of ultrasound taken at RIMS which said that the appendix was normal.

But after the operation was over, Dr Rajen suddenly changed his opinion saying that it looked like tuberculosis.

Against multiple tests were conducted for TB but it could not be confirmed.Despite Mema's complaints of swelling abdomen and difficulties in urination and defecation, she was discharged from the hospital on June 3. Noticing little improvement in the health condition of his mother, Panky took his mother to JNIMS on June 14.There she underwent another operation at the advice of Dr Jitendra and four litres of fluid were drawn out from her body.

Later it was confirmed that Mema was infected by TB when she was undergoing treatment at JNIMS.

When family members finally approached the concerned doctor on July 12 and 13 to issue necessary documents so that they could take Mema to a hospital based outside the State, the doctor declined the proposal.

Not with standing the doctor sobjection, Mema was taken to Dispur Hospital on Jul 20 as compelled by her deteriorating health condition.

At Dispur, Mema underwent another surgical operation for the third time and doctors said that fluids were oozing from the stitches made after the earlier operations.

CT Scan images taken at Dispur Hospital revealed that lungs, kidney and intestine were all infected, Panky conveyed as stated by Dispur Hospital doctors.

He said that her mother succumbed to her illness in the ICU of Dispur Hospital yesterday.

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