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Misdiagnosis
Thursday, 15 October 2009
Senator Dwight Nelson, the National Security Minister, is back in Jamaica after getting treatment for gall stones initially thought to be intestinal trouble.
However while Senator Nelson is recuperating, the public debate continues over the need to fly the minister overseas for treatment.
One local doctor says the treatment is readily available here, but the original diagnosis may have been hasty.
RJR News spoke with Dr. Paul Wright, a medial practitioner in the quest to sift through the confusion over the Senator Nelson's reported illness.
While not intimate with the details of the case, Dr Wright, who has treated many gall stone cases, said in the case of the National Security Minister, it may have been that the doctors mistook a case of gall stones for complex intestinal problems.
He said gall stones are small, pebble-like substances that develop in the gallbladder.
According to Dr. Wright, these hard pebbles can cause severe abdominal pains can be misdiagnosed.
"It's very easy to mistake it but we have the facilities in Jamaican and at our major hospitals to make the proper diagnosis with ultra sounds and C.A.T. scans and so on. Praise the Lord for that mistake because if he had what they thought he had, then the Minister would be out for a long time.
"But when they went and somebody took the time to go over the tests carefully, it was just gall stones," Dr. Wright said.
Pressure on local doctors from onlookers
He added that if thorough tests are done then it is easier to come up with a clear diagnosis if a patient has gall stones.
However, according to Dr. Wright, the pressure of treating a Government minister may have resulted in his doctors making an incorrect diagnosis.
"When you're dealing with people like a Minister you tend to have people standing over your shoulder and everybody wants to be a doctor and the doctors who are making the diagnosis are under severe pressure to do something now. I think that could be what went on here because once somebody sat down, relaxed and sat down and did the tests, here came the proper diagnosis," he said.
Though official Government reports said Senator Nelson required surgery due to complications with his intestines, his overseas doctors found no reason to operate.
In the meantime, Daryl Vaz, Information Minister has confirmed that Senator Nelson, will report to work next Tuesday following the National Heroes Day holiday.
Mr. Vaz says Mr. Nelson will continue to be monitored by his doctors.
Thursday, 15 October 2009
Senator Dwight Nelson, the National Security Minister, is back in Jamaica after getting treatment for gall stones initially thought to be intestinal trouble.
However while Senator Nelson is recuperating, the public debate continues over the need to fly the minister overseas for treatment.
One local doctor says the treatment is readily available here, but the original diagnosis may have been hasty.
RJR News spoke with Dr. Paul Wright, a medial practitioner in the quest to sift through the confusion over the Senator Nelson's reported illness.
While not intimate with the details of the case, Dr Wright, who has treated many gall stone cases, said in the case of the National Security Minister, it may have been that the doctors mistook a case of gall stones for complex intestinal problems.
He said gall stones are small, pebble-like substances that develop in the gallbladder.
According to Dr. Wright, these hard pebbles can cause severe abdominal pains can be misdiagnosed.
"It's very easy to mistake it but we have the facilities in Jamaican and at our major hospitals to make the proper diagnosis with ultra sounds and C.A.T. scans and so on. Praise the Lord for that mistake because if he had what they thought he had, then the Minister would be out for a long time.
"But when they went and somebody took the time to go over the tests carefully, it was just gall stones," Dr. Wright said.
Pressure on local doctors from onlookers
He added that if thorough tests are done then it is easier to come up with a clear diagnosis if a patient has gall stones.
However, according to Dr. Wright, the pressure of treating a Government minister may have resulted in his doctors making an incorrect diagnosis.
"When you're dealing with people like a Minister you tend to have people standing over your shoulder and everybody wants to be a doctor and the doctors who are making the diagnosis are under severe pressure to do something now. I think that could be what went on here because once somebody sat down, relaxed and sat down and did the tests, here came the proper diagnosis," he said.
Though official Government reports said Senator Nelson required surgery due to complications with his intestines, his overseas doctors found no reason to operate.
In the meantime, Daryl Vaz, Information Minister has confirmed that Senator Nelson, will report to work next Tuesday following the National Heroes Day holiday.
Mr. Vaz says Mr. Nelson will continue to be monitored by his doctors.