The’ sixth sense’
My brother Dr Shamsher Dwivedee who is a neurologist by profession was at my place.He is known in his circle as an excellent clinician who hardly prescribes any investigations.His students have so many time told me his stories when he used to make a clinicial diagnosis on examinaton with hardly a test or two for which any other routine consultant would have prescribed many more to come to the same diagnosis.That is his clinical sense.Last week he was at my place in Gurgaon.A men came to meet him for some official work.After sorting out the work,suddenly my brother asked him,”so you drink alcohol every day.Isn’t it?’ That guy was taken by surprise and after few seconds admitted that since last 5 to 6 months he was drinking every day.Then bombarded my brother,you are about to spoil your liver and in no time you will be bed ridden,Go get a scan done and that will show a fatty liver.Poor thing he went for a scan that very day and it did show fatty liver and haepatomegaly.
I was surprised.I asked him,bhayia,did you know he drinks so much.He said ,no.Then I asked did he smell of the alcohol because to me he looked quite sobre and I couldn’t smell any alcohol.My Bhayia said……….nope,he didn’t smell of alcohol either.I said then what?He smiled and said that is clinical sense what people misunderstand as the sixth sense.He said that after observing patients for years you can judge and observe the various features,body habitus which gives the dcotor a clue.
He told me story of British doctor Dr Brain,who on looking at a lady advised Laparotomy.On laparotomy ovarian cancers were detected and Dr Brain had thought her to be a patient of paraneoplastic syndrome.
For a while we talked about the progress the science of medicine and how much it has developed ,but with development of the science of medicine the arts of medicine is dying away.The clinical sense is the arts of medicine.
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| Dr Shamsher Dwivedee awarding an ISCR award winner |
Last month a couple came to me.that lady was having some vague breast pain.I examined……axillary breast tissue.Asked her if she could be pregnant.Both of them looked at me surprisingly.Not possible.Have not even missed my periods.Had sex only once or twice.just not possible.I still advised to have a urine pregnancy test if she missed her periods.Within 10days they were back……….UPT was +VE………………Clinical sense 🙂 They went for a TOP though !!
Complication part 3
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| Mumtaz mahal who died of PPH |
It was difficult for me to perform the surgery,keep the patient’s family informed and keep their morale up as well.I was tired,stressed and sleepy.In between the patient’s husband wished to me to comment if shifting her to Max saket was a good idea as it is a bigger hospital.I told him that I think I can manage her equally safely in Max Gurgaon provided he had the faith and trust and also that I would never let my personal ego come in between his wife’s life and proper care.He agreed to stay with me.(Later on he did confess that he was under tremendous pressure from his family members to get her shifted to Max Saket under some older Gynaecologist,but he went ahead with his gut feeling). After 2 hours of sleep I went and assessed her.Still her dressing was getting wet.Her Haemoglobin had again fallen down though her clotting profile was improving.There wasn’t any active vaginal bleeding but I wasn’t sure whether she had stopped to bleed or was still bleeding inside.I had done my best and only measure which I could have taken was to remove her uterus.I wasn’t sure whether that was necessary or not.I involved another Gynaecologist to give her opinion as personally I believe when under so much stress one’s judgment can be blunted.Even that Gynaecologist wasn’t sure whether this patient needed observation for some more time or a hysterectomy.A falling Hb wasn’t letting me relax and yes I was afraid that I might loose the patient if frank DIC sets in.Ultimately I decided to remove her uterus and within 24 hours she was taken second time in the OT ,this time for removal of the uterus.I swear I was mentally and physically tired.Felt like had had not slept for days altogether.Every hour i was talking to the patient’s husband.I requested Dr Shalabh to sit in the OT waiting lounge,just in case I felt too tired and drained to come and help me for the hysterectomy.(The reason I have mentioned this fact is to tell you how drained and vulnerable a doctor feels in such situations.No one wants to loose one’s patient.Normally I don’t need a Surgeon to support me for my surgeries,but yes here I needed that mental support).Surgery went well…….her bleeding stopped.She recovered from her early DIC.A strong lady herself she didn’t end up in post traumatic stress………I did.It took me a while to forget that bloody night.In this blog itself I have mentioned this incident before…….It was scary.I am thankful to the whole family who showed trust in me,stayed at Max Gurgaon and gave me the opportunity to take care of her.
World Incontinence week
Do you have any of these conditions
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| You can get rid of your diapers in 15 minutes!! |
- Leak When You Cough, Sneeze, Laugh, Jump Or Lift Something Heavy?
- Limit Your Social Activities Due To Urinary Problems?
- Get Up At Night To Pass Urine More Than Once?
- Know This Problem Can Be Solved With Medical Treatment?
.If on evaluation you are found to be fit for a 15 minutes life changing surgery (TVTO) you would get 20% discounted surgery on the occasion of world continence week
complication -Part 2
Her BP showed a measly 15 mmHG.My heart sank.I imagined this case to get a mention in the forthcoming edition of ‘why mothers die’?
Then the senior most consultant talked to the patients husband and decided to proceed for caesarean hysterectomy.By this time she had already receive approx 35units of PRBC apart from other blood products.She was still bleeding.I remembered such a case which had happened in a famous corporate hospital of Delhi where a politician’s wife operated by renowned gynaecologists of India(Mumbai) had ended in DIC and then the vascular surgeon had saved her.So,I suggested to call the vascular surgeon and my boss agreed.That lady was slowly taken care off.In between I performed 2 instrumental delivery as well 🙂 while my bosses kept on struggling.It was the longest caesarean I have ever been washed for……9 hours.The patient survived.My name didn’t become a part of confedential in inquiry,but it was a close save.I was shaken for 12 hours as I had to come back for another night on call and didn’t have the luxury to destress my self.
The patient had post traumatic stress disorder for some time.But was discharged on day 5th of the caesarean with a healthy baby but minus her uterus.For a week I kept on explaining everyone ,consultants,midwives and colleagues that it wasn’t my fault.It wasn’t actually no ones.In hind sight a consultant told me why didn’t you give her an option of forceps under general anaesthesia rather than a caesarean.
Anyways after a week,I was asked to present this case in front of the department and was declared ‘not guilty’.
When things go wrong……..complications as you call them!!
Now I wish to let the ghosts of Aamir Khan and his Satyamev Jayte to get buried in it’s grave ……..enough of it……whether he says sorry to IMA ore not,whether the people think that all doctors are unethical,I need to rest this issue in peace for the sake of my peace.I love my profession,operating fibroids, endometriosis,polyps,removing uterus ,delivering babies and much more.I need to perform my work with full concentration or I might harm you.A pilot’s job is very crucial……deals with so many lives but still they have an auto pilot.We have nothing like an auto surgeon.
Few days back one of our registrar’s went to take a preoperative consent from a Lady for some surgery(not my patient so don’t know it in great detail).The Lady’s husband asked the young doctor whether she was taking this consent to cover the incompetency of the operating Gynaecologist.She was taken aback…….It is a medico legal requirement after all.
In all fairness to my patients I would say that none ……..not a single patient of mine has shown any distrust towards the doctors.And I am greatful to you.
In my career spanning almost 13 years post PG,I have had my shares of complications…….not many ………..I can count them on my finger tips and in fact remember all of them to write all the details about it.
One such incident took place around 3 years back.A lady with previous 3 caesareans and very big cysts on both ovaries presented to me.She had adenomyosis as well.Her CA 125 was elevated ( the ovarian cancer marker).She went to various hospitals and decided to get operated by me.Herself a qualified professional,her husband is also a well connected person.So we decided on removing the uterus and both ovaries,send it for frozen section to rule out any evidence of cancer and if any evidence of cancer to proceed for lymph node removal and staging.While removing I realized that her uterus was badly stuck with the bladder due to the previous caesareans.And despite my all gentleness I had inadvertently opened her bladder.My assistant Dr Deepa M,actually was quite shocked.But these things do happen when you are performing a complicated surgery.What is important is to identify it and to rectify it.I completed the whole surgery,frozen section suggested a benign condition.I repaired her bladder and post surgery informed the patient of her bladder getting accidentally opened.In post op periods her intestine took longer than normal to come out of the effect of surgery and she developed paralytic ileus.She had apparently a tendency for post op paralytic ileus,as she told me that she had a similar problem after each of her caesareans.She had Catheter in her bladder for about a week.In the meantime her ileus got better as well.3 years later she is fine with no problems at all.
When she left the hospital after about a week she left as a happy patient.But that was her who had ‘forgiven’ me.What would have you done.Done the same or declared me an incompetent surgeon who did a complication and covered it with the blanket of consents?Just think for a while and let me know your opinion.
We unethical Indian doctors
My Point is you don’t have any option but to deal with us Indian doctors.No system is full proof not even UK system( I know the loop holes of that system as well and can tell it publicly if needed………How doctors behave in an unethical manner there……..when doctors take sick leave when they are not actually sick…..very benign example……have many more to speak about).Indian Medical system is just a reflection of our society which has both good and bad professionals every where.
Don’t get scared……..Don’t feel insecure…………..Don’t look at your doctor with suspicion………..they are not alike.It is for your own good as it isn’t a very pleasant situation to be in when you have handed over your own health to someone whom you can’t trust.It isn’t as bad as Aamir Khan made it sound.He has to sell his serial…………..but a patient doctor relationship is very delicate relationship and if only he had tried to project the correct PICTURE to the public it would have been better for the public, as you realize at the end of the day you have to trust the Indian doctor.If all of us are sacked from where will Indian healthcare import doctors?We are no UK,USA or Australia where doctors from third world countries will come to work with such bad salaries .HAVE FAITH!!
Forgot to bring my purse
Till date he hasn’t turned up with that RS 600 and still Doctors are called money minded :-)).I feel conned and cheated.So how will I treat the next patient?Naturally will ask for the fees first and then proceed with the consultation.Sad part is majority of the patients are not like him.They don’t con and thus coz of an occasional patient not so fair experience don’t wish to loose faith in patients,but that is the other side of the story.A doctors perspective!!
When Heard Aamir Khan on Satymaev Jayata……got compelled to write this post.And When you put an allegation on a doctor that the doctor wasn’t qualified enough,why don’t you check in the first place.It is quite easy to do.Just ask the persons qualification preoperatively,check online the significance of those degrees………..If you can do these researches when things go wrong why not use caution preoperatively? Saw just a part of it……..someone did a renal transplant and Pancreatic transplant together.Well there has to be a reason for pancreatic transplant.These two surgeries are not like a delivery or hysterectomy……they are major major surgeries.Really naive on the patients part if they are educated and still don’t do their homework properly.And 8 Lakhs for such kind of surgery and the hospital expenses and the blood involved is actually very cheap……….I saw the jaws of the audience drop down on hearing an expense of 8 Lakhs……….When you listen an Aaamir Khan or a Salman khan or a Sharukh khan getting crores for shaking their legs( A frivolous activity in my opinion),even then is your expression the same?????Do you ever realize how much a doctor has slogged to reach where that person is.Do you realize that they were the toppers of their batches who spent years studying and then getting trained to deal with such a critical thing as human life.Have you ever thought why those doctors who behave in slightly ‘unethical’ manner do so?Do you know how much medical care costs in USA or European Countries?Do you know what are the consultation charges of private practitioners there?
I would certainly not wish my son to be a doctor……A talent should not go waste………..He should be in a industry where he doesn’t have to spend more than 10 to 12 years to study,survive on meagre stipends ,be in such a high strung profession and still all the time run the risk of being called money minded,greedy,unethical.Not fair at all!! We do run the risk of having substandard doctors in future…….if that is how our society behaves……..because of Litigations Australia has shortage of local doctors.In UK local doctors prefer to become a GP and leave their main stream as a specialist.







