Greatest sin of our lifetime is stepping in this so called premier hospital - Apollo hospital for very first time and our whole life is a hell after that.
My mother met with an road accident and had injury in left foot. We consulted Dr Sashi bushan - Plastic surgeon who did preliminary wound debridement surgery and said that she need to undergo muscle grafting surgery to undergo muscle grafting surgery ( technically called flap surgery) which is a long surgery for 6 hours under the general anesthesia. Initially he said muscle grafting surgery is a only option and later we came to know that there is an alternative simpler method skin level grafting surgery which is just 15 minutes procedure under local anesthesia /sedation.
Muscle grafting surgery was done under general anesthesia for which post surgical care under Dr Sashibushan was disaster. 3 days after the surgery ( almost 75 hours of the surgery) there was an episode of blood oozing out from the surgery spot around 5.30 in the evening. We immediately informed the same to the assigned nurse. The assigned nurse told us that she had informed about the bleeding incident to the consultant Dr Sashi Bushan and his junior Dr Ibrahim but they said it was very normal and there was no reason for panic.The bleeding continued for the entire night and the blood soaked bed sheet was thrown every 2 hours in the ward and bandage was changed in the regular interval. § The Junior Dr Ibrahim visited the ward around 12.30 Am ( i.e next day that too after 18 hours from the our intimation time) . Here I would like to reinforce that the doctor would usually visit my mother around 9.30 Am and that day he visited her belatedly by 3 hours.Dr Ibrahim attended the case and arrested the bleeding in 2 minutes which he could have done during the previous day itself. He blatantly said that nobody informed him and hence it is ward doctor and nurse’s fault.There was a heavy blood loss during the episode. The blood level dropped from 9.3 to 6.3 level for which she had to undergo blood transfusions ( which itself a risky procedure) for no fault of us and that too her blood group was A negative which is extremely rare group.
Once again a victim of criminal negligence on the day surgical drain tube was removed – which had taken a worst toll on her life and had to pay huge price physically, mentally and of course financially.§ My mother complained pain in the site where drain tube was pulled out around 10.30.am and the same was informed to the assigned staff nurse. Dr Sashi Bushan visted immediately and examined her. He said there was small hematoma developed at the surgical drain tube removal spot and need to be evacuated immediately, otherwise it would lead to complication. He also informed that it was a very minor procedure and could do the procedure at the bed side but for sterile reason it was a protocol in this hospital to do the procedure in the operation theatre. The fact is also mentioned in medical record.Dr. Sashi Bushan informed us that my mother will be taken to OT within a hours time§ My mother was experiencing a severe pain and pain got worsen with every time delay. But the surgeon did not turn up with in a hours’ time as promised. The assigned nurse tried to contact him and but he was out of reach. During such time she was under excruciating pain and she was even in the verge of losing her consciousness.The ward doctor administered heavy dose pain killers. As hematoma pain is difficult to subside by painkiller nothing worked on her.I was in a great panic state and even begged the staff nurse and duty doctor to do something to ameliorate her critical condition.During the delay, the small hematoma right front of my eye manifested into a significant and very big hematoma and looked like it can burst anytime. I was so precarious and even cried at my helplessness in so called most premier hospital in Chennai ( who charges fee 4 times than other hospital charges) and we had even escalated the matter to guest relation officer.With the heavy dose of pain killers and sedation she had almost lost consciousness. Her case was taken to OT atlast around 5.30 PM when she was in a deep sedation.During the hematoma evacuation surgery, there was a heavy blood loss and her blood count went dangerously low. Such a blood loss could have been easily avoided had the procedure done immediately without delay.The surgical drain tube was again placed on account of the hematoma evacuation surgery.She was immediately rushed to recovery room and I could see the panic in the face of OT staffs and was on emergency blood transfusion of 2 units ( which is really insufficient for dangerously low count – below 4) .After just 2 units of blood transfusion, she was shifted to ward from recovery room.§ The very night the blood count ( CBC test) was done and the value was 8.2 and hence further transmission was stopped.The HB count 4 becoming 8.2 in just 2 units of 200ml vial is not reasonable nor plausible. Again a draintube was placed on account of hematoma surgery. . When I questioned the docotr , he inhumanly replied ( who always acted as spokes- person for his principle doctor) , that they were busy and she had not died and there was only blood loss. The day was friday.I requested for blood check and the same was disregarded. We requested for blood count test ( CBC) again considering the fact she looked severe pallor and there was continuous drain blood from the surgical drain tube on saturday , the next day. Any prudent and reasonable doctor would have assented to our request but he replied that he would check the same on Monday though she was showing obvious sign of severe anemia and any doctor could understand that, HB count 4 becoming 8.2 in just 2 units of 200ml vial is gross deviation from the standard and there was also continuous drain. The next day was sunday. § From evening , she was not speaking to anybody and was behaving very odd.I had immediately called the ward nurse and she checked all vitals which were seemed normal From that night she experienced bit of breathlessness Again I immediately called the staff nurse. ECG was taken and her oxygen saturation level was also checked which also seemed normal at that point of time.Even at that point of time I requested for blood test, for which I was told they would do the same tomorrow morning as instructed by Dr. Sashi Bushan .That night something sensed me, so I requested them to keep the cardiac monitor plugged to her so that I can monitor her vitals continuously. Whole night I did not sleep a wink and was seeing the monitor plugged to her.My mother was sweating profusely even in the air conditioned room ( AC was really very high and I was freezing very badly and on top of, it my mother requested for switching on fan as she was uneasy.Looking at her behavior, I immediately pleaded ward nurse to intimate the doctor.
The Medical registrar and other junior doctor of Dr Sashibushan came and they were also clueless , at that point of time. I begged them for blood check and same was disregarded
. They said that they would take the test tomorrow morning as planned. During next day early morning, suddenly her pulse and her oxygen saturation level dropped steeply. As she is plugged to monitor, critical alarm sound, alerted the ward staff. § Nurse alerted the medical emergency team immediately.Emergency team came rushing to the spot and their timing was so accurate that they stepped in exactly when her heart stopped it’s beats. She was clinically dead on account of cardiac arrest. The emergency team immediately started resuscitation on her. A senior member from the team called me and said she is clinically dead and they are doing a procedure called CPR and the success rate is slim.She was successfully resuscitated ( as reason of resuscitation that cardiac arrest is not account of heart problem but blood loss) and was shifted to Multidisciplinary CCU ( MD CCU as per hospital terminology) with worsened parameter and multi organ damage. She was on support system.We were told by CCU teams that her heart stopped again in CCU and they had resuscitated her again.The reason for cardiac arrest and multi organ malfunction is on account of very low blood count which is a direct consequence of unethical and poor post surgical care of surgical consultant Mr. Sashi Bushan. She was administered several units of emergency blood transfusion and all her organ slowing revived it’s function and she woke up from unconscious state.Atlast she came back to life with all increased risk for cardiac, renal and cancer illness later in her life. My mother just came for the leg injury but had to battle for life.
After the trauma my mother and entire family need to undergo truma physically, mentally, and also financially. Other hospitals were not taking her case on knowing the history. So we need to tied up with this hospital for other disorder especially Hematological disorder and atlast died and rather killed by Dr Prabu - Hemotologist - Apollo hospital by an unwarranted and unneeded treatment.