One dies, 7 lose sight after cataract operation

Udupi, August 17: One person died while seven others have lost their vision after undergoing cataract surgery at the Charmakki Narayana Shetty Lions (CNSL) Eye Hospital at Kota in Udupi district from August 1 to 3. The cause of the tragedy is suspected to be contamination of solution used during surgery.

District Health Officer Ramachandra Bairy said on Thursday that of the 38 who underwent surgery at the hospital, eight had got infected. Of the eight, two had undergone evisceration procedure.

Shivarama Jogi, Narasimha Shetty and Panju Poojary

Of the two who underwent evisceration, Narasimha Shetty (72) of Airody village had heart problem and he died of cardiac arrest at Kasturba Hospital in Manipal on August 2. But Dr. Bairy said that evisceration might have been a precipitating factor in his death. The other patient, Sukra (35) from Bhatkal, had been discharged.

Dr. Bairy said that on August 1, 11 persons underwent cataract operations at the hospital. Of the 11, two got infection. Three of the 15 persons who underwent cataract surgery on August 2 were infected. On August 3, 12 persons underwent cataract operation, and three got infected.

The names of the other six patients are: Shivaram Jogi (60) from Giliyaru village; Girija (50) of Saligrama; Panju Poojary (68) of Heroor, Brahmavar; Sita B. Poojary (52) of Kundapur; Manjunath Udupa (75) of Ampar; Narasa Poojary (62) of Haluvalli village and Koteshwara.

They were being treated and would be discharged in a day or two. “There will be no hundred per cent recovery in the vision of the patients,”, Dr. Bairy said.

Eye Surgeon of Mobile Ophthalmic Unit of the District Government Hospital Nityananda Nayak will visit Kasturba Hospital on August 17 and check the records of recovery of vision of the patients.

Dr. Bairy said that not all those who had undergone cataract operations at the CNSL Hospital had got infection. The eight patients who got infected might be due to contamination in solution used in surgery.

The solutions had been sent for testing to a laboratory in Kundapur, but had tested negative. The Department of Health would send the samples of solution to the Kasturba Hospital in Manipal for testing and to another lab for cross testing.

Patients clueless

Dr. Bairy said that evisceration is a method of removing dead tissues from the eye balls to prevent spreading of infection to brain tissue.

For the patients who had lost their vision due to the cataract surgery after undergoing cataract surgery at the Charmakki Narayana Shetty Lions (CNSL) Eye Hospital at Kota in Udupi district from August 1 to 3, it is a tragedy they are struggling to cope with. The cause of the tragedy is suspected to be contamination of solution used during surgery.

Shivarama Jogi (65), a resident of Giliyaru village, who had undergone cataract surgery at the CNSL Hospital and who is now taking treatment at Prasad Netralaya in Udupi, said: “Before the cataract operation at the CNSL Eye Hospital, the vision in both my eyes was blurred. But after I underwent cataract operation (to my left eye), I cannot see anything with my left eye”.

Mr. Jogi's son Praveen Kumar told presspersons that his father was a diabetic with a cardiac problem. He was running a canteen in Guntur in Andhra Pradesh. He had returned home to Giliyaru village three months ago. He had blurred vision in both the eyes. Since his glasses broke, he visited the CNSL Hospital in the end of July. It was then that he was told to undergo cataract operation. His father was treated by Chandrashekhar Kamath at CNSL Hospital. He underwent cataract operation in the left eye on August 2. A lens at a cost of Rs. 9,000 was implanted in his eye. He was told to visit the hospital after a week.

When they went to see Dr. Kamath after a week, there was itching in his eye. He gave drops and told them to come after a week. But when the itching persisted, they again went to Dr. Kamath. When they asked Dr. Kamath about the problem, he had told them that it was an infection.

Then Dr. Kamath took Mr. Jogi to Kasturba Hospital in Manipal on August 11. Mr. Jogi got admitted at Kasturba Hospital on August 13. But on the advice of a relative, he had shifted to the Prasad Netralaya in Udupi on August 14.

The ophthalmologist Krishna Prasad at Prasad Netralaya had assured them that he would first save the eye and then think of the sight, Mr. Kumar said.

The relatives of two patients — Sita B. Poojary and Panju Poojary from Kundapur, who had earlier undergone cataract surgery at CNSL Hospital and were now receiving treatment at Kasturba Hospital, too were distraught.

Ms. Poojary's son Ratnakar Poojary said that his 52-year-old mother had undergone cataract operation at the CNSL Hospital on August 3. A lens of Rs. 9,000 was implanted in her eye. But she experienced itching and pain on August 4 and she was told to get admitted to Kasturba Hospital on August 5. “But neither doctors at Kota or Manipal are telling them what exactly the problem is,” he said.

Panju Poojary's son-in-law Jaya Poojary said that his father-in-law had got operated for cataract at the CNSL Hospital on August 3. While there was no problem for the first one week, Mr. Panju Poojary, 68, began experiencing pain from the second week. The CNSL Hospital told them to take treatment at Kundapur, Hubli or Manipal.

They had come to Kasturba Hospital in Manipal, he said.

Deputy Commissioner M.T. Reju told mediapersons that the solutions would be sent for testing on August 17. The entire CNSL Eye Hospital would be inspected including its operation theatre. “After the results of the tests and the report of the inspection are in, we will take legal action against the guilty”, he said.

Probe sought

The Kasturi Karnataka Janapara Vedike, which played a vital role in exposing the issue of one alleged death and seven patients losing their vision after undergoing cataract surgery at the Charmakki Narayana Shetty Lions (CNSL) Hospital at Kota in Udupi district from August 1 to 3, demanded a probe into the entire issue. The cause of the tragedy was suspected to be contamination of solution used during surgery.

Ramesh Gowda, President of State unit of the Vedike, told presspersons that the district administration and District Health and Family Welfare Officer should immediately conduct a probe and punish the guilty.