Srinagar, Oct 20: A 50-year-old woman with a heart ailment died at SK Institute of Medical Sciences, here, earlier this week, allegedly because of a medical negligence by doctors who operated upon her, the family said.
 According to the family Aisha Shah wife of Muhammad Yousuf Shah was admitted in SKIMS Cardiology department for a heart problem on September 21, under MRD No. 676954. “After undergoing lot of examinations, the doctors told us that she has slow heart beat and decided to implant dual chamber pacemaker on September 27”, her husband Muhammad Yousuf Shah told Greater Kashmir.
 He said a team of doctors led by a Consultant Cardiology (name withheld) operated upon her. “Next day she developed some complications and doctors shifted her to Cath Lab of the department,” Yousuf said.
 “When we asked the reason from the doctors they told us a lead of the pacemaker, which was issued by the hospital, is hanging from inside and is not properly connected to the chambers which had done damage inside”, he added.
 Yousuf said the whole procedure was being monitored on X-ray equipment C-arm fluoroscope in the lab. “How come the lead of the instrument got displaced and punctured from the vessel to other major vessels and lungs,” he questioned.
 Yousuf said the doctors again operated upon her and replaced the lead of the equipment. However, he alleged, the damage had already been done to Aisha’s lungs.
 “Finally she expired on October 18 morning due to sudden respiratory arrest with septic shock”, her husband said.
 The cause of death, the death certificate issued by SKIMS, reads: “a) Sudden Respiratory Arrest with Septic Shock, b) CHB on PPM complicated, c) Cardiac Tamponade with left sided pneumothrorax with Hospital Acquired Pneumonia (HAP) with acute lung injury (ALI).
 “The problem with the patient was probably the slow blood pumping rate so the pace maker was advised in the case. As far the cause of death is concerned there is fifty-fifty possibility that during the operation a needle might have entered the chest cavity of the patients and air entered the lungs have caused death”, a cardiologists, wishing anonymity, told this newspaper.
 He said the Hospital Acquired pneumonia was also fatal in the case. “However” he said, “The doctors usually ask take the consent of the patient or family members to play safe”.
 The family appealed the Chief Minister Omar Abdullah to order a through investigation into the case. “This will discourage such carelessness”, they said.

Lastupdate on : Thu, 20 Oct 2011 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Thu, 20 Oct 2011 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Fri, 21 Oct 2011 00:00:00 IST