Emergency operation

Emergency operation

From Kompas

In relation to reports in the media that a boxer died because of a head injury, it is deplorable that the treatment given to the patient was rather late. The patient was first taken to the Naval hospital, and was later transferred to the UKI hospital. The operation was delayed for some time awaiting permission from his family.

In boxing there is always the risk of a boxer receiving a head injury which causes bleeding in the brain, which needs immediate surgery. Quickness during an operation is also an important factor.

It would be better if future boxing events arranged such things as availability of a competent medical team to perform brain surgery, family permission, and necessary papers needed at the hospital in advance.

In fact, the problem of permission from the patient's family has always been a dilemma for health institutions in the case of a patient being unconscious. There is a fear that the patient's family may file a suit if the doctors decide to immediately operate on a patient. To delay an operation could worsen a patient's condition.

In some developed countries this problem is addressed by a law that in effect states an operation must be immediately performed, assuming that the patient's family approves (assumed consent). On the other hand, the family can sue the hospital for negligence due to any delay in emergency treatment.

I wish to suggest that such a law be established here to cope with emergency cases.

DR PURBOYO SUHARDI

Health Services

Jakarta