C-section gives woman deadly infection

A simple caesarean section went horribly wrong for a 33-year-old woman after she contracted a rare and deadly bacterial infection.

Vaishali Sawant, a Nalasopara resident, was admitted to Cama and Albless Hospital in CST a month ago after she experienced premature labour pangs. Her husband Sandeep recounted that she never recovered from her surgery and eventually contracted the strain of Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA) bacteria in the hospital environs.

“On October 17, my wife underwent caesarean section and a baby boy was delivered. Ever since the delivery, she complained of nausea, vomiting, back ache and fever. Pus was oozing out of her stomach incessantly. She underwent two back to back surgeries to clear the infection that had developed in the lower abdominal area,” Sandeep told dna.

On the same day, Cama doctors told Sandeep that they suspected a piece of epidural catheter, which was inserted in patient’s spinal cord, might have been the cause of her troubles. “She was wheeled into the operation theater in the morning, but was not released until afternoon. A minor procedure was carried out in her back supposedly related to the catheter but the doctors really never told us anything,” said Sandeep.

Inspite of four surgeries after her caesarean, Vaishali’s ordeal had not eased. Sandeep wrote a letter of complaint to Cama hospital’s superintendent Dr Rajashree Katke, asking as to how a caesarean section led to multiple surgeries in the abdomen and the back. After writing a letter to Dr Katke, Vaishali was immediately shifted to Gokuldas Tejpal Hospital in CST where she was operated upon for the fifth time by plastic surgeons.

“All her lower abdominal skin was debrided and a tissue flap from the left thigh was sutured on,” said Dr N Paikrao, deputy superintendent at GT Hospital.

Vaishali, who contracted the highly-infectious MRSA bacterium, has been quarantined in an isolated room in ward number four of the GT Hospital. She has been unable to breastfeed her new born since a month now. “My baby is kept in a separate ward. He should not contract infection. My milk has dried up. I will not be discharged for another few weeks,” rued Vaishali.

However, doctors at Cama said she contracted the infection due to her low immunity. “Her low immunity has landed her in this condition,” said Dr Rajashree Katke.

Experts said Cama hospital doctors are washing their hands of responsibility by attributing contraction of MRSA infection to a patients low immunity. “It is apparent that sterilization techniques in the hospital are not up to the mark. It is a hospital-acquired infection as MRSA bacterium breeds in linens, pillows, hospital equipment, curtains, garments worn by care providers. Complete surface sanitation is necessary to eliminate MRSA bacteria,” said Dr Om Shrivastava, director, infectious diseases department, Jaslok Hospital in South Mumbai. MRSA colonises in respiratory tract, open wounds, intravenous catheters and urinary tracts. 

Sandeep alleged that Cama hospital authorities have not returned back Vaishali’s medical reports. To which Katke replied, “He can come and gather his wife’s report from the hospital.”

What’s MRSA infection all about
Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus Aureus is a bacteria which breeds in surfaces of community and hospital areas

Once infected, patient slips into fever, nausea, multiple organ failure, septicemia and in some cases death

Testing patients for MRSA upon admission, isolating MRSA-positive patients, decolonization , and cleaning of patients’ rooms and all other clinical areas they occupy is the best practice protocol

Patients are not tested for prior MRSA infection in city’s public hospitals