INDORE:Thirty eight out of the 43 patients who suffered infection after botched cataract surgeries in Barwani district, some 155 km from Indore, are unliklely to get back their vision in the operated eye concluded a team of doctors from All India Medical Institute (AIIMS), New Delhi. The doctors were rushed on a request by state govermment to Indore, where the patients are undergoing treatment since Thursday.

AIIMS team, led by Dr Atul Kumar, was of the opinion that contours of the eye and other structures are damaged in the patients and only 5 of them might be able to get their vision back in the operated eye, joint director, health, Indore Dr Sharad Pandit told TOI.

“After reviewing the patients, AIIMS doctors felt nothing more can be done medically to restore vision partially to the patients. They were of the opinion that line of treatment at Indore was appropriate,” said Dr Pandit.

Team members, including Dr Sudarshan Khokhar, Dr Talveen Singh, Dr Tejasvini and Dr Abhishek Sen, met the patients at MY Hospital and Sri Aurubindo Hospital here and conducted a thorough examination.

Damage to the eyes was primarily caused due to the infection that developed post-surgery, said Pandit.

Ophthalmic surgeon Dr Radheshyam Palod conducted the cataract surgery camp at Barwani between November 6 and 24 where 86 patients were operated upon. “Of the 86 patients, 43 caught the infection,” he said.

Dr Palod, the opthalmologist who was suspended after the surgeries, has conducted over 30,000 cataract operations in his career. Chances of surgical error leading to the condition are slim, Dr Pandit said. The matter is being investigated.

Primarily the source of infection appears to be contaminated saline used to wash eyes during surgeries, he said, adding, contaminated needles or cotton could also be the cause. “Samples of the material used for surgery have been sent to Kolkata for tests. The cause of infection will be clear when reports are received,” he said.

Patients from Barwani were brought to Indore and admitted to MY Hospital and Sri Aurbindo Institute of Medical Sciences (SAIMS) after they complained of loss of vision in the operated eye.

As number of patients with post-operative infection increased, demands were made for registration of criminal cases against the doctor and medical staff involved in surgeries. Chief minister Chouhan promised to foot the medical bills for treatment of the victims and assured they would be given best care.