Hyderabad botched eye ops: Expert team inspects sealed OT

HYDERABAD: An expert team of doctors, which was rushed to Jaya Hospital in Hanamkonda to assess the reason for post-operative infection following cataract surgeries on 19 patients, returned to the city on Sunday night. The team carried out thorough inspection of the sealed operation theatre at the private hospital, where cataract surgeries were performed. The team is likely to submit its report on the reasons behind the severe post-operative endopthalamitis infection in 11 patients and mild infection in six others to the health department. Also, LV Prasad Eye Institute (LVPEI), where corrective surgeries were performed on the affected patients, is likely to submit a report on Monday.

Meanwhile, condition of the 11 patients, who had undergone corrective surgeries at LV Prasad Eye Institute on Friday night, was said to be stable, but whether ‘vitrectomy’ surgeries performed on an emergency basis were successful or not was yet to be ascertained. The 17 patients, who were found to be suffering from endopthalamitis infection, were rushed by health authorities from Hanamkonda to the LV Prasad Eye Institute (LVPEI) in Hyderabad on Friday night and a seven-member team operated on them for six hours till the wee hours of Saturday.

The patients were first operated upon on September 26 at Hanamkonda following which the vitrectomy surgeries were done on September 28 night. Experts indicate that the two-day period was within the safe time limit for performing corrective surgeries. LVPEI would carry out an assessment on Monday too. “We can assess the impact 48 hours after the surgery. LVPEI will submit its report on Monday. We are hoping for the best results,” a senior official from the state health department said. The cost of the corrective surgeries is being borne by the health department.

As per the ‘Indian Journal of Opthalmology’, “Endophthalmitis can lead to a permanent, complete loss of vision. Endophthalmitis has been associated with severe visual loss in 20 per cent patients. Vitrectomy surgeries are done in case of severe infection, as a measure for restoring vision.” However, the success of vitrectomy surgeries depends on the severity of infection and the time between the setting in of infection and the corrective surgery, experts added.