Ten months after she underwent surgery for the removal of gallstones that left her in a vegetative state, Thelma Ribeiro’s condition has deteriorated to a point where she is now in a critical condition at the Lethem Regional Hospital, her relatives have said.
In a recent interview, relatives told Stabroek News that there were no signs of improvement and her body continues to shrink, as she lies brain dead at the Lethem Regional Hospital.
Minister of Public Health Dr George Norton, in an invited comment, said the ministry continues to monitor Ribeiro’s condition, but there was not much else that could be done since she was brain dead.
The 48-year-old resident of Shulinab, in South Central Rupununi had been diagnosed with gallstones during a medical outreach in Region Nine. The diagnosis prompted the woman to undergo a surgery, which was reportedly done at the Lethem Regional Hospital on March 10.
The next day, her husband was informed that the procedure was unsuccessful and she would have to travel to Georgetown where she would undergo another surgery at the Georgetown Public Hospital (GPH).
Ribeiro reportedly arrived at the hospital and underwent the surgery on March 14; several hours later, Stabroek News understands, the woman’s daughter, who is a non-medical staff at the hospital was told by a doctor on the surgery team that the surgery went well and her mother was recovering well in the recovery room.
She reportedly stayed at the hospital until about 8.30 pm when she met a Dr Tiwari who told her that her mother had lost a lot of blood and had suffered a cardiac arrest in the recovery room.
As a result, Ribeiro was transferred to the hospital’s Intensive Care Unit (ICU) while her daughter was presented with 26 gall stones which the doctor said were removed from the woman during surgery.
The very next day, Ribeiro’s daughter and other relatives returned to the hospital to visit the woman who was at that time attached to a life support machine in the ICU; she reportedly remained on life support until March 18.
Seeking answers, the daughter, accompanied by her supervisor met a Dr Biplab Singh who explained that her mother suffered cardiac arrest that lasted for about 5 minutes. He said Ribeiro suffered minor brain damage which caused her to slip into a coma.
Additionally, she was told that the surgery should not have been done in Lethem as they did not have the necessary equipment.
In a series of events that followed, Ribeiro underwent a CT scan which revealed she had swelling in the brain and treatment was recommended.
It was also advised that she undergo a tracheotomy to remove the tubes which were in her mouth for a period in excess of 7 days; this surgery was done on March 21 at the GPHC.
Ribeiro reportedly remained a patient at the hospital until she was subsequently transferred to the Lethem Regional Hospital where she has been for the past several months.
