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The Telegraph - Calcutta (Kolkata) | Frontpage | Hope dims for Basu: Doctor
Hope dims for Basu: Doctor
- Veteran on ‘all possible life-support systems’
OUR BUREAU
Calcutta, Jan. 16: Doctors treating Jyoti Basu today spoke of their diminishing hopes of a “good result” for the first time as the former chief minister’s condition worsened further and he was put on “all possible life-support systems”.
“Given his age and the complications he is suffering from, there is little hope of any good result,” said A.K. Maity, Basu’s personal physician for around 30 years and a member of the medical board monitoring his treatment at AMRI Hospitals, Salt Lake.
Late tonight, the 95-year-old developed a cardiac problem and a pacemaker was installed.
This evening’s medical bulletin had said that Basu, admitted to the hospital with pneumonia on January 1, was in a state of multi-organ failure and was on maximum ventilatory support. “Inotropic (drug) support has been increased to maintain his blood pressure,” the bulletin said.
Doctors said almost all of Basu’s vital organs and systems — the cardiovascular and haemodynamic (blood flow) systems, his lungs and kidneys — had failed and he had to be given “maximum support” to keep them functioning.
“He is on all possible life-support systems. The doses of supportive drugs and oxygen supply have been increased by more than five times from what we were administering two days ago,” a doctor said.
“It is very difficult for a person of his age and condition to tolerate inotropic (blood pressure-stabilising) drugs at such high doses for long. Although we are trying our best, anything can happen any moment.”
Basu’s requirement of artificial oxygen too rose steadily. “There is no sign of any improvement in his lung condition and his liver has stopped functioning,” a doctor said.
The heavily sedated patient remained unconscious through the day, and doctors said his central nervous system was not functioning properly.
Today, the doctors had planned an eight-hour-long “slow, low-efficiency daily dialysis” (SLEDD), an advanced technique that ensures a reduction in blood pressure fluctuations. “One of the major problems is the continuous fluctuation of his blood pressure. A normal dialysis would have further complicated the problem; so we had to opt for SLEDD,” a doctor said.
But the doctors had to stop 30 minutes early because Basu’s blood pressure, despite the heavy doses of inotropes, resumed fluctuating, Maity said. The target was to remove at least 1,000ml of fluid (containing waste products) from Basu’s body but the process yielded 900ml.
“We are not satisfied with the outcome of the SLEDD. If everything goes well, we will try another round tomorrow,” a doctor said.
Basu’s condition had worsened last night with his systolic blood pressure (the upper figure) dipping below 100 (normal: 140). With no improvement in his condition today, doctors stayed huddled in discussions through the day and late into the night, repeatedly checking the monitors that fed them updates on the functioning of Basu’s vital organs.
As news of his worsening condition spread, VIPs from CPM general secretary Prakash Karat to actor Amitabh Bachchan rushed to the hospital. “As long as he (Basu) can fight, we have hope,” said Karat, who came with wife and fellow politburo member Brinda.
Hope dims for Basu: Doctor
- Veteran on ‘all possible life-support systems’
OUR BUREAU
Calcutta, Jan. 16: Doctors treating Jyoti Basu today spoke of their diminishing hopes of a “good result” for the first time as the former chief minister’s condition worsened further and he was put on “all possible life-support systems”.
“Given his age and the complications he is suffering from, there is little hope of any good result,” said A.K. Maity, Basu’s personal physician for around 30 years and a member of the medical board monitoring his treatment at AMRI Hospitals, Salt Lake.
Late tonight, the 95-year-old developed a cardiac problem and a pacemaker was installed.
This evening’s medical bulletin had said that Basu, admitted to the hospital with pneumonia on January 1, was in a state of multi-organ failure and was on maximum ventilatory support. “Inotropic (drug) support has been increased to maintain his blood pressure,” the bulletin said.
Doctors said almost all of Basu’s vital organs and systems — the cardiovascular and haemodynamic (blood flow) systems, his lungs and kidneys — had failed and he had to be given “maximum support” to keep them functioning.
“He is on all possible life-support systems. The doses of supportive drugs and oxygen supply have been increased by more than five times from what we were administering two days ago,” a doctor said.
“It is very difficult for a person of his age and condition to tolerate inotropic (blood pressure-stabilising) drugs at such high doses for long. Although we are trying our best, anything can happen any moment.”
Basu’s requirement of artificial oxygen too rose steadily. “There is no sign of any improvement in his lung condition and his liver has stopped functioning,” a doctor said.
The heavily sedated patient remained unconscious through the day, and doctors said his central nervous system was not functioning properly.
Today, the doctors had planned an eight-hour-long “slow, low-efficiency daily dialysis” (SLEDD), an advanced technique that ensures a reduction in blood pressure fluctuations. “One of the major problems is the continuous fluctuation of his blood pressure. A normal dialysis would have further complicated the problem; so we had to opt for SLEDD,” a doctor said.
But the doctors had to stop 30 minutes early because Basu’s blood pressure, despite the heavy doses of inotropes, resumed fluctuating, Maity said. The target was to remove at least 1,000ml of fluid (containing waste products) from Basu’s body but the process yielded 900ml.
“We are not satisfied with the outcome of the SLEDD. If everything goes well, we will try another round tomorrow,” a doctor said.
Basu’s condition had worsened last night with his systolic blood pressure (the upper figure) dipping below 100 (normal: 140). With no improvement in his condition today, doctors stayed huddled in discussions through the day and late into the night, repeatedly checking the monitors that fed them updates on the functioning of Basu’s vital organs.
As news of his worsening condition spread, VIPs from CPM general secretary Prakash Karat to actor Amitabh Bachchan rushed to the hospital. “As long as he (Basu) can fight, we have hope,” said Karat, who came with wife and fellow politburo member Brinda.
