A routine operation to remove a nasal polyp in Atyrau ended in tragedy: a 16-year-old schoolgirl died. After the surgery, the girl's condition sharply deteriorated, and about an hour later she was transferred to the intensive care unit, reports infohub.kz.
According to the publication "Aq Zhaiyq," the schoolgirl was admitted to the Atyrau Regional Children's Hospital for a planned operation to remove a nasal polyp. In a video circulating on social media, the surgeon who performed the operation said that after the intervention, a tampon was placed in the girl's nose, which is usually left in place for a day.
An anesthesiologist in the same video claims he was unaware of the tampon. According to him, at some point the patient stopped breathing on her own.
"I didn't notice that the tampon had shifted. She stopped breathing. When we examined her, it turned out there was no breathing on the right side. Later this was confirmed by X-ray," the doctor says.
From the doctors' account, it follows that in the postoperative period a problem arose related to the position of the tampon and impaired breathing. The resuscitator reported that the tampon was removed in a timely manner. After that, the girl remained in intensive care for another 18 days, where she received intensive therapy. Despite treatment, her condition continued to worsen. As a result, she died.
The schoolgirl's parents believe that the tragedy could have occurred due to the actions of medical staff and demand to establish what exactly happened in the first hours after the operation, how timely the child was given assistance, and whether the complication could have led to subsequent irreversible consequences.
The Atyrau Region Health Department expressed condolences to the family and friends of the deceased and reported that a special commission is being formed to investigate the incident.
"This operation is classified as a technically complex surgical intervention requiring high precision. During such operations, as well as in the postoperative period, it is impossible to completely exclude the possibility of certain risks and complications known in medical practice. Due to the sharp deterioration of the patient's condition after the operation, the medical organization carried out emergency and intensive treatment measures in full. In addition, consultations with relevant specialists and experts at the republican level were organized," the department's press service explained.
According to the department, the commission must examine the circumstances of the incident, the timeliness and quality of medical care provided, as well as the causes of postoperative complications. To prepare an objective conclusion, it is planned to study medical documentation with the participation of independent specialists.
"Until the full completion of the investigation and expert examinations, there are no grounds for any preliminary conclusions. Detailed medical information about the patient is not subject to disclosure in accordance with the requirements of medical confidentiality and personal data protection," the department noted.
The schoolgirl was supposed to enter the 11th grade this year. She was the eldest child in the family.