Dubai resident slips into coma after cosmetic surgery, DHA initiates action

A 24-year-old Emirati woman fell into a coma and was paralysed for the past 16 days after a botched medical procedure led to cardiac arrest and brain damage.

Following the case of the Emirati who entered the coma due to malpractice, the Dubai Health Authority (DHA) announced that it has stopped the 'First Med Day Surgery Centre Dubai' from conducting any surgeries until the results of the investigation are complete.

The DHA has also stopped the two doctors who conducted the surgeries - ENT surgeon S.H and anesthesia specialist and medical director of the centre, S.D - from practising, due to malpractice and added that legal action will be taken against all those who risk the lives of patients.

Dr Marwan Al Mulla, CEO of the health regulation sector at the DHA, confirmed that the DHA has taken all the needed measures both legal and administrative after it was notified of the case.

It has also immediately started an investigation, which found -in its preliminary findings - that the Emirati patient, who was admitted to surgery for a simple nose procedure to correct a deviated septum, was a victim of malpractice.

Due to the doctors' negligence, her health deteriorated during surgery, causing her to enter a coma.

"The 24-year-old young Emirati entered a coma due to dangerous complications that she suffered from during a Septoplasty procedure by S.H and S.D at the First Med Day Surgery Centre. The patient suffered from a severe drop in blood circulation and blood pressure. Oxygen also stopped reaching her brain, which caused her heart to stop for several minutes and put her into a deep coma - which she still did not wake up from. The patient was transferred to a specialised hospital and is currently in the intensive care unit," he added.

Dr Al Mulla said the authority immediately formed a medical investigation team to investigate the case and find the clinical reasons that caused the patient to enter this tragic state. Preliminary investigation of the patient's medical files and history found that the patient did not suffer from any cardiovascular or vascular diseases prior to going to undergoing



surgery.

Preliminary investigation results found that there was medical negligence in the management of the case by both physicians. It was found that they did not take the correct medical procedures for surgical intervention prior to the surgery, such as conducting a medical examination before the surgery by a sufficient period, he said.

It was also found that the patient's clinical case was not accurately documented by the anaesthesiologist in her anaesthesia record files during surgery, as it was found to be incomplete, it did not document the patient's vital signs while the level of oxygen dropped in the blood and when her heart stopped working, he added.

"The anaesthesiologist also did not record the time he gave the patient the anaesthesia and did not write what the vital signs were prior to giving her the anaesthesia. This caused confusion in managing the case once it started deteriorating during surgery. The needed medical records of the patient were also not available when the patient was transferred from the centre to the hospital," said Dr Al Mulla.

Dr Al Mulla added that the authority does not take any medical negligence that risks patients' lives lightly and so has decided to stop both doctors from practicing until the final results of the investigation are out. The authority has also banned the centre from conducting any surgical procedures until the investigation is complete.

The investigation on all those involved in the case is still ongoing and is being conducted by a qualified medical committee.

The DHA stressed that it will be taking deterrent action against all those who do not abide by medical rules and regulations that ensure the safe and effective practices in healthcare.

The woman's case was highlighted on social media and since then it has kicked up a storm. In a post on Twitter, a relative said that the girl's blood pressure fell and she remained without oxygen for seven minutes after medication was administered to her in the presence of an anesthesiologist.

The relative said that the patient has been transferred to the Cleveland Clinic Hospital in Abu Dhabi and is now in the 16th day of coma.