Patients who do not receive desired result from a treatment often point fingers at the treating doctor or hospital – this case too is an example of this unfortunate mindset.
Naresh, a known diabetic, had complain of diminishing vision in the left eye. He approached an eye institute where the doctor administered injection Avastin that caused development of endophthalmitis. Naresh permanently lost vision in the left eye subsequently!
Losing eyesight can easily make a person blind to the facts, and Naresh’s case was not different. He sued the eye institute and blamed it for the ill-fated outcome of the treatment. He alleged that injection Avastin should not have been administered especially since he was diabetic.
The doctor stated that Naresh was diagnosed with non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy and significant macular edema in the left eye. All risks and complications were explained and an informed consent was taken before administering injection Avastin.
Medical records were presented to substantiate the defense.
The Commission perused medical records and observed that the treatment provided was at par with standard protocol. The Commission also referred to medical literature which suggested that using injecting Avastin for intravitreal retinal ailments was not contraindicated. It was further observed that there was a small chance of development of endophthalmitis as a result of any intravitreal injection.
Naresh’s complaint was dismissed by the Commission. Did it help him see the real cause behind the loss of eyesight? Let’s hope so.
Source: Order pronounced by West Bengal Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, on 14th January, 2020.
