anonymous

21st September 2018

A PATIENT IS A LIVING TEXT BOOK ! - 11

 A PATIENT IS A LIVING TEXT BOOK ! - 11

Mr Vakharia, an old man of 78 years, had developed severe incapacitating sciatica due to prolapsed disc and consulted me. Years back, I had operated on him for some neck trouble. We had a good rapport and he used to consult me every now and then.

The present illness needed an operation. However, Mr Vakharia had many problems—high blood pressure, cardiac asthma, uncontrolled diabetes, all of which made surgery a difficult proposition. He was declared unfit for anaesthesia and surgery. Mr Vakharia was in severe pain, was miserable and was begging me to do something to give him relief. I was in a surgical dilemma. After considerable thought, he was operated upon with due care and kept on monitor in intensive care unit. The operation was a success except that Mr Vakharia continued to have the same pain to relieve which the operation had been done in the first place. Something had gone wrong.

I reviewed his case and came to the conclusion that the offending lesion had been missed and left untouched. I was frank with Mr Vakharia. I told him:" I have missed something. I have not adequately dealt with the pathology that is causing you pain. You need repeat investigations and perhaps repeat surgery". Mr Vakharia told me: "I have full faith in you. You do whatever you feel is right”. I replied: "If you were my father. I would do the same thing". With the same risk, but with added precautions and more care he was re-operated upon on the tenth post-operative day Everything went off well, and Mr Vakharia is happy today. It is his unflinching faith in me that made this happy ending possible.