Friday, 11 November 2011

Hospital nightmare claim

‘MY child was humiliated and traumatised. If this happened to my daughter, how many other women are being treated this way?’ Overcome with emotion, Richards Bay resident Ronel Lessing tells the Zululand Observer about her daughter Tunelle Nell’s shocking experience at the Lower Umfolozi District War Memorial (LUDWM) Hospital last week. Tunelle was due for a simple sterilisation (tubulagation) procedure.

According to Lessing they were briefed by the gynaecologist on duty the Friday before the operation.‘He was very kind and explained exactly how the operation would take place.’ However, when Nell arrived on Monday for the operation, a completely different procedure was used without any explanation. LUDWM spokesperson Zodwa Zikalala responded, saying ‘The patient had a hysterescopic sterilisation procedure (ESSURE), that has many advantages over laparoscopic sterilisation and with much less pain, but this is not guaranteed and this was explained to the patient.‘Unlike the laparoscopic sterilisation no cutting is required, however both
procedures may result in vaginal bleeding.

’ Lessing says her daughter was shunted around the hospital and as a result of being sent to the wrong department waited for four hours after the scheduled time to have the operation.‘She had not eaten or taken fluids from the night before because of the anaesthesia that we were told would be used,’ said Lessing. ‘As she was awake for the entire operation why the fast?’ Zikalala said all patients are told to fast before these operations in case a general anaesthetic is required. Lessing also claims her daughter was strapped spread-eagled to the bed and given no pain medication.

Invasive
‘The operation was invasive and embarrassing and my daughter had in no way been prepared for this.‘She has a personality disorder and should not have been put through this ordeal.’ Zikalala responded saying, ‘It is normal procedure for patients in theatre to undress and dress in a theatre gown.‘According to our doctors she was not tied up, but in a position called lithotomy where the legs are in ‘stirrups’. Zikalala also says the doctor properly explained the procedure of tubulagation to the patient.

Lessing logged an official complaint on the day of the incident with the hospital’s Medical Manager, Dr Popa, who she says promised to get back to her that day.‘To date I have not received any feedback.’ Zikalala confirmed they had received the complaint. She reported that Dr Popa did discuss the matter with the doctor who performed the operation and on going back to the ward to relay the information to Lessing, found they had left. She added that Dr Popa regrets the omission of phoning them for feedback.