Jaipur: Five elderly patients, who underwent cataract surgery at the govt-run Kuchaman Hospital in Didwana-Kuchaman district early this week, have developed a serious post-operative eye infection that could lead to loss of vision, prompting an emergency referral to Jaipur’s Sawai Man Singh (SMS) Hospital.Health department officials said an investigation into possible lapses in infection control has been initiated.The patients admitted to SMS Hospital have been identified as Ghasiram (64), Hiraram (73), Gokul (70), Meera Devi (58) and Narayani (67). They remain under observation.The surgeries were performed on July 28.When patients returned for follow-up the next day, they reported severe pain, swelling and whitening of the operated eyes. As their condition deteriorated rapidly, they were referred to SMS Hospital, where they underwent surgery Thursday in an attempt to prevent permanent vision loss.Kuchaman Hospital principal medical officer Dr Balvir Dhaka said seven patients underwent cataract surgery on July 28, of whom five developed complications, while the two others are fine.“Five of the seven patients developed complications due to an eye infection. We are investigating the source of the infection. We closed the operation theatre Wednesday as soon as the infection was detected in a patient who had come for follow-up,” Dr Dhaka told TOI.Following the incident, the health department sent a team of doctors from Jaipur to Kuchaman Hospital to investigate. The team has begun collecting samples from the operation theatre to determine whether the infection originated from surgical instruments, medicines, fluids, sterilisation failure, operation theatre contamination or any other source.At SMS Hospital, a four-member medical board, including ophthalmologists Dr Nagendra Singh Shekhawat, Dr Pankaj Sharma and Dr Manish Sharma, has been constituted to monitor the patients’ treatment, said SMS Hospitals’ acting superintendent Dr RK Jain.“We have started treatment of the patients, and surgery has been performed to prevent vision loss. As of now, we cannot say whether they will regain their vision. We will be able to say only after three to four days of treatment. The cause of concern is that their cornea has turned opaque,” Dr Jain told TOI.The incident has raised serious concerns over sterilisation protocols, surgical safety and post-operative care at govt hospitals. Health minister Gajendra Singh Khimsar visited SMS Hospital, reviewed the patients’ condition and directed doctors to ensure the best possible treatment.
