Twitter
Advertisement

Botched C-section and the birth of a deadly infection

It began with negligence on the part of the doctors who performed a caesarean section on Vaishali Sawant and the cut on her tummy proliferated into a huge complication – a drug-resistant infection, necessitating as many as five surgeries.

Latest News
article-main
Vaishali underwent 5 surgeries
FacebookTwitterWhatsappLinkedin

It began with negligence on the part of the doctors who performed a caesarean section on Vaishali Sawant and the cut on her tummy proliferated into a huge complication – a drug-resistant infection, necessitating as many as five surgeries.

“Pus would ooze of my tummy constantly. I was struck by nausea, severe back ache and fever. I could hold my bundle of joy only after a month. I couldn’t feed her, my milk had dried up, thanks to large doses of medicines,” said the 33-year-old mother.

It later turned out that doctors at Cama Hospital had left a piece of catheter in Vaishali’s spine during C-section. The foreign body allegedly led to an infection which spread at an alarming rate, prompting the doctors to conduct three more surgeries.

Cama doctors said the mother was infected with methicillin resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) bacteria, a stubborn and dangerous strain, after the first procedure.

Vaishali was finally shifted to GT Hospital where the part of the catheter was removed from her body. She was operated at GT too – her fifth in one month, where doctors lopped off the infected tissues, leaving a 28cm x18cm hole in her abdomen.

According to World Health Organization (WHO), 64% victims of MRSA are likely to succumb to the infection. In Vaishali’s case, luck was on her side.

‘Nothing on her’

Forty-year-old Shalini Patra (name changed) was affected by a deadly combination of acinetobacter and pseudomonas bacteria that attacked her lungs and urinary tract simultaneously. “This patient was diabetic with kidney failure. Infections in persons who have low immunity are rampant. She was given a combination of last line antibiotics – cholestin, sulbactum and levofloxacin. No drugs would work on her. It was a case of total antibiotic resistance and she succumbed to it,” said Dr Om Shrivastava, director, infectious diseases department, Jaslok Hospital.

Arm saved in nick of time

An elderly patient from Delhi, who was infected with Klebseilla Pneumonaie after a metal plate implant in his shoulder got infected, was brought to JJ. “The infection had damaged tissues to such an extent that doctors in Delhi had suggested his arm be cut off. We managed to save his arm with conservative treatment,” said Dr Om Shrivastava.

Find your daily dose of news & explainers in your WhatsApp. Stay updated, Stay informed-  Follow DNA on WhatsApp.
Advertisement

Live tv

Advertisement
Advertisement