CHENNAI / PTI
As questions continued to rage over the death of J Jayalalithaa, London-based specialist Richard Beale, Apollo and government doctors on Monday ruled out poisoning as the cause and asserted that there was “no conspiracy” or mystery in either the treatment or what led to her end.
Beale faced a number of questions including some hostile ones as he and the other doctors sought to clear the air at a government arranged press conference at a star hotel on the health of the AIADMK supremo and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister when she was rushed to the Apollo Hospitals here on September 22 last.
One of the questioners even told Dr Beale that the anwsers were “unconvincing”, to which he responded with wonder and surprise. To another question, he said he had seen in his career similar cases but this was the first time he was justifying the line of treatment.
He said Jayalalithaa was conscious while being brought from her home and that the process of treatment was “perfectly straightforward”.
Jayalalithaa was declared dead at Apollo hospital at 11.30 PM on December 5, a day after she suffered a massive cardiac arrest. “It was a witnessed cardiac arrest,” doctors said.
Beale, who is a world renowned intensive care specialist, said Jayalalithaa had sepsis when she was brought into Apollo Hospital in a conscious state and the source of infection was unknown.
The late Chief Minister was on and off ventilator and often also interacted after being admitted for fever and dehydration, Beale said.
Beale was flanked by P Balaji of Madras Medical College and K Babu of Apollo Hospitals, who had signed in election forms on which her thumb impression was taken. This was for nominating AIADMK candidates for elections to two seats and bypoll to one segment last year.
Dr Beale said the AIADMK leader was given the best possible treatment and even intermittently conscious for days during her prolonged hospitalisation.
The press conference is being facilitated by the government, he said, adding that the government asked him to come now.
The press conference, which was called to dispel rumours on the late chief minister's death, comes a day after V K Sasikala, shadow of Jayalalithaa for nearly three decades, was elected leader of the AIADMK legislature party by its MLAs and set to become chief minister succeeding O Panneerselvam who tendered his resignation from the post citing 'personal reasons'.
“We want to dispel rumours on Jayalalithaa's condition, treatment,” the doctors said.
Beale said the process of treatment was “perfectly straightforward” amid allegations that Jayalalithaa was not given proper treatment, which was couched in unusual secrecy.
“The process of the case that was followed was perfectly straightforward. There was no conspiracy. Nothing strange happened. There is no question of it being a case of poisoning. I don't know where this all came from but if anyone with the understanding with detailed care that goes on in Intensive Care Unit then anyone will realise how silly it is.
“It was clear what the disease process was. There is nothing mysterious about it.” Beale said he met Sasikala on a number of occasions.
“Sasikala was present much of the time and was closely engaged in the care in supportive manner,” Beale said.
He also said any question of exhuming the body of Jayalithaa was “ridiculous.
Beale clarified that it was possible for sepsis, the body's response to infection, to spread fast and damage other organs though Jayalalithaa showed signs of recovery during her 75-day stay at the Apollo Hospital.
On the day she was admitted “she became short of breath at home and very short of breath when the ambulance brought her to the hospital...there was an infection resulting in damage to organs and contributing to shortness of breath”.
He said at that time “it was not clear” what the source of infection was “but subsequent tests showed there was indeed infection in her blood”.
“So bacteria were going from the blood and that was where the infection was identified and resulted in her general poor condition,” he said, adding it was known that Jayalalithaa was suffering from diabetes and high blood pressure, he said. On the final moments of Jayalalithaa, Dr Beale said it was a “completely unexpected collapse”.
“Why it happened we don't know, except that Jayalalithaa was of mature years with chronic diseases like hypertension, diabetes, with recovering sepsis and an infection in the heart,” he said.
The doctors said AIADMK general secretary Sasikala and other top state officials were briefed on a daily basis about the progress in treatment.
They said there was “no political pressure” to hold the press conference.
Beale said Governor Ch Vidyasagar Roa, on his second visit, had gone into the ICU and flashed a thumbs up to Jayalalithaa which she responded to.
Beale further explained that Jayalalithaa was diagnosed with Septicemia. “Sepsis can come on extrememly quickly, and its consequences can be severe,” he said, adding that diabetes and high blood pressure had increased her vulnerability.
Dr Babu and Dr Balaji said she was “admitted with uncontrolled diabtetes alongside septicemia and the best of treatment was given.” They, along with Beale, said that when admitted, Jayalalithaa had fever and dehydration and when evaluated, it was also found that her sugar levels were uncontrolled. She also had “urinary infection” and since it was “sepsis increased”, it had “cascading effects.” She was treated with non-invasive ventilation which involves putting a mask to the face. Her condition improved somewhat initially and she was conscious and responding.
“Unfortunately as the sepsis progressed she got more tired she was put on ventilator fully.” Dr Balaji reiterated that he attested the signature of Jayalalithaa for the bypoll papers and it was witnessed by Dr Babu. “She was conscious when she put her thumb impression, I spoke to her.” She could not sign the papers as her hand was inflamed due to administration of IV fluids, he added.
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LEGS NOT AMPUTATED: DOC* No amputation was carried out on Jayalalithaa's legs, Dr P Balaji of Madras Medical College replied when asked on claims that her legs were removed
* Senior counsel for AIADMK worker Joseph had in the Madras High Court sought to know whether her leg was 'amputated' during treatment prior to her passing away
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Doc who carried out
embalming: No deep
marks on Jaya's cheek
With social media abuzz with images purportedly showing “dots” on Jayalalithaa's cheek, a doctor who oversaw the late chief minister's embalming procedure today said she had found no such deep marks.----------------------------------------------------------------
“I did check, there were no deep dots (on cheek)...I cannot say why such dots appeared deep in social media (videos),” Prof Dr Sudha Seshaiyan of the Madras Medical College told reporters.
However, Dr Richard Beale, one of the doctors who had treated Jaya, sought to clarify that “criticially ill patients often have some markings on their face.” On criticism over Jayalalithaa's photograph not being released, he said, “it is absolutely not a normal practice to photograph people who are critically ill.” He said there were no CCTV footage of Jayalalithaa getting treated.
Seshaiyan said that normal embalming procedure was followed to preserve the body.
She said the procedure, that began on the midnight of December 5, was completed in 15 minutes and was done to prevent the body from deteriorating.
As many as 5.5 litres of embalming liquid were used to preserve Jayalalithaa's body, she said.
