In and out of ICU after brain surgery,DDU patient dies

After being informed about the case,Health Minister Dr A K Walia said: “I am not aware of the details of the case,but I will look into the matter.” Medical Superintendent Dr S Bhattacharjee was not available for comment despite repeated attempts.

The patient,who fell unconscious in her bathroom,was rushed to the hospital in the evening of April 23. Though the doctors treating her insisted that she needed round-the-clock intensive care post-surgery,the hospital could not make space for her in the ICU.

She was finally shifted to the ICU on April 25,but was moved out a day later when her condition started improving.

Her daughter,Kiran Gupta,said her condition started deteriorating immediately after she was shifted back to the general ward.

After repeated requests,Kiran said her mother was shifted to the ICU again,but died at around 2 am on Friday.

Sources in the ICU confirmed that multiple organ failure had been written as the official cause of death.

Dr Bhattacharjee had told Newsline earlier that since the hospital did not have a dedicated dialysis facility,she should have been transferred to another facility earlier.

Kunta Devi had no history of kidney problems. Doctors said in rare cases,the drugs administered after brain surgeries could prove to be harmful to the kidneys.

The neurosurgery department of the hospital has no dedicated ICU facility and has to rely on the 10-bed ICU under the anaesthesia department for patients who need critical care. Considering the huge load of patients,doctors say it becomes impossible to find space in the ICU.

Treatment of patients with neurological disorders is difficult without a dedicated ICU,and the department only handles emergency trauma cases.