The family of patient who was expected to have brain surgery conducted on him at Kenyatta National Hospital but failed to due to a mix up has died according to his kin.
The Second year Bachelor of Commerce student at the University of Nairobi, Angelos Miano Muthee was laying on his bed at time he should have been on the theatre bed getting the crucial brain surgery.
While at his bed writhing in pain, doctors were busy operating on the wrong patient.
According to the Standard, the family said it was taken “round in circles” by doctors after they realized their mistake. They have no explanation and by this time, Muthee’s condition had deteriorated and his chances for survival were minimal.
Angelos, 25, was involved in a road accident on Monday along University way. A good Samaritan took him to KNH where he was put on medication and scheduled for brain surgery two days later.
His body has since been moved to Cherangany Nursing home in Kitale where he will be buried.
His father James Muthee Miano said he received a call notifying him that his son had been knocked down by a rider in Nairobi.
“I had just returned from work when I received a call informing me that my son had been knocked down by a rider and they were looking for an ambulance to take him to hospital,” he told the Standard from Kitale Prison farm where he works.
Caleb Munyasya, Angelos classmate said he was first to arrive at KNH. “When I reached the hospital, I found that he had already undergone a head scan. The doctor said he had a moderate head injury. They put him on medication.”
He was to undergo surgery the following day but three days later, it never happened.
“The nurses prepared my son, changed the clothes and even put a ribbon bearing his name on the hand and we expected them to take him to the theatre. For three days, they dilly-dallied and promising us that the operation will be conducted anytime,” said his father.
“We kept on asking why there was no progress, but nothing was forthcoming,” he said. On the fourth day, Muthee said four surgeons came to the room and requested to speak to the family members at a conference room.”
He said he had asked doctors to put his son on a life support machine but they declined saying it would be costly.
“I told them that we are not worried about the cost. Our problem was to have our son treated and recover and this is when they told us that the brain was seriously damaged and cannot be reversed and that operating him will cause more damages.”
He added that after the mix up, doctors changed his son’s prognosis saying it was no longer advisable to have a brain surgery.
“We were surprised because the first doctor had recommended surgery. Here was another one coming two days later and saying surgery is not possible because the brain is damaged and the hospital can do nothing about. Why would two doctors reading the same scan give contradictory opinions,” a family friend, Philip Kahuha averred.
Muthee said after a heated argument with the doctors, they promised to finally operate on his son only to get a call informing him he was in a critical condition.
“I left the hospital with a lot of hope that my son will be finally be operated on but at about 8.30pm I received a call from the hospital that his condition had deteriorated,” he added.
“Immediately I arrived at the ward, the doctors stopped the supporting machine and said the heart is not beating and my son is no more. They told me to go back home and return in the morning.”
The family now wants KNH to explain why they did not perform the surgery on their son who had been scheduled for operation.
“We want the KNH management to tell us why they prepared our son for surgery and failed to perform the surgery. From what I saw there is high level of professional negligence.
Angelos mother Naomi Njeru said her son had a promising future.
“He was the promising son. We had hope on him and his death has dealt us a big blow.”
On Thursday, the hospital suspended the admission rights of a Neurosurgery Registrar and issued him with a show-cause letter for allegedly performing brain surgery on the wrong patient.
CEO Lily Koros was suspended on Friday by Health CS Sicily Kariuki pending investigations into the matter.