Jayalalithaa death probe: Treatment was correct, says AIIMS panel; gives clean chit to Apollo Hospitals

Chennai: J Jayalalithaa, former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, was provided "correct medical treatment" by the Apollo Hospitals and no errors were found in the care provided to her, concluded a seven-member medical board constituted by the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) on the directions of the Supreme Court after her death turned into a controversy.

"The treatment of the former CM (Jayalalithaa) was as per correct medical practice and no errors have been found in the care provided. Based on the medical records, a final diagnosis was made of Bacteremia and Septic shock with respiratory infection,” AIIMS has said in its report dated 4 August which was made available on Saturday.

"There was also evidence of heart failure. There was uncontrolled diabetes at admission which was treated," the report further said.

The AIIMS medical panel has given a clean chit to the hospital and concluded that it agrees with the final diagnosis of Amma.

What AIIMS report on Jayalalithaa’s death says?

AIIMS panel has submitted a three-page report that gives details of sequence of events ascertained by it and chronicles the treatment she had been receiving prior to her admission until her death.

The panel concluded that the late Tamil Nadu CM was being treated for diabetes, vertigo, atopic dermatitis (itchy inflammation of the skin), irritable bowel syndrome, hypothyroid and chronic bronchitis prior to hospitalisation.

It its report, the panel quoted surgeon Dr Sivakumar, under whose care Jayalalithaa was in since 1998, on 19 September, 2016, said that the former CM was eating grapes, cakes and sweets prior to hospitalisation.

On 22 September, 2016, around 10 am, an ambulance was called to Jayalalithaa’s posh Poes Garden residence and the doctors found her in an altered level of consciousness. Her vitals - saturation, pulse and BP - were also unstable.

Amma was found in an altered sensorium with a saturation of 48 per cent, a pulse rate of 88 bpm and blood pressure of 140/70. She was treated and shifted to the emergency room in Apollo where blood and imaging tests revealed crackles in both lungs which was suggestive of infection. A temporary pacemaker was inserted.

Her health suddenly started to deteriorate and she was intubated on 28 September, 2016. The former Tamil Nadu CM was put on non-invasive ventilation, insulin and antibiotic therapy, the panel said in its report.

Initially after post intubation, Jayalalithaa's lungs infiltrates worsened after which a group of doctors were consulted including UK-based Dr Richard Beale and a three-member AIIMS team agreed with the treatment. On 7 October, she underwent a tracheostomy.

On 4 December, she again started complaining of breathlessness and therefore, ventilation was re-started. She suffered a cardiac arrest on the same day and was put on ECMO support for 24 hours. With no brain and heart activity, Jayalalithaa had been declared dead at 11.30 pm on 5 December 5, 2016. She was in the hospital for 75 days.

Members of AIIMS panel probing Jayalalithaa's death

On 30 November, 2021, the Supreme Court had agreed to Apollo Hospital’s plea to direct the AIIMS to constitute a medical board to assist the (retired) Justice A Arumughaswamy commission that is probing Jayalalithaa's death.

The then ruling AIADMK-led government formed the Justice Arumughaswamy commission following allegations of mystery shrouding her hospitalisation and subsequent death. AIIMS’ seven-member medical team was led by Dr Sandeep Seth, professor, department of cardiology.

In a plea to the apex court, the hospital sought quashing of the inquiry commission headed by retired Madras High Court judge A Arumughaswamy on 25 September, 2017 by the Tamil Nadu government arguing that the “proceedings reeked of bias” and were a “violation of the principles of natural justice”.

After the Supreme Court's order, a panel of experts was constituted in which the AIIMS team was asked to assist the commission.

The members of the medical panel included Sandeep Seth, professor of cardiology, included Anant Mohan, head of pulmonary medicine; Vimi Rewari, professor of anaesthesiology; Milind Hote, professor of cardiothoracic vascular surgery; Rajesh Kadgawat, professor of endocrinology; Abhishek Yadav, additional professor in the department of forensic medicine; and Ananth Naveen K. Reddy of the department of hospital administration.

With inputs from agencies

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