UoN Student at the Center of Saga on Brain Surgery Done On Wrong Patient at KNH Passes Away

A University of Nairobi (UoN) student at the center of the saga on head surgery performed on wrong patient at the Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) has passed away, his family says.

The second year Bachelor of Commerce student identified as Angelos Miano Muthee was scheduled to undergo brain surgery to get rid of a blood clot at the hospital, but the delicate procedure was conducted on a different patient after a mix up.

His family told the Standard that doctors took them “round in circles” after they realized their mistake, leaving Muthee without care even as his condition worsened.

The 25-year-old had been involved in a road accident last Monday along University Way and was taken to the hospital by a good samaritan. Doctors then organized a brain surgery on him after discovering a blood clot in his head.

“I had just returned from work when I received a call informing me that my son had been knocked down by a rider and they were looking for an ambulance to take him to hospital,”His father James Muthee Miano told the Standard from Kitale Prison farm where he works.

A surgery was to be performed on him the following day, but three days later, it never happened.

“The nurses prepared my son, changed the clothes and even put a ribbon bearing his name on the hand and we expected them to take him to the theatre. For three days, they dilly-dallied and promising us that the operation will be conducted anytime,” said his father.

“We kept on asking why there was no progress, but nothing was forthcoming,” he said.

It was until the fourth day that four surgeons came to the room and requested to speak to the family members at a conference room. Muthee said he asked the doctors to place his son on a life support machine, but they refused saying it would be costly.

“I told them that we are not worried about the cost. Our problem was to have our son treated and recover and this is when they told us that the brain was seriously damaged and cannot be reversed and that operating him will cause more damages.”

After the horror mishap, Muthee said doctors told him that it was no longer advisable to have a brain surgery done on his son.

“We were surprised because the first doctor had recommended surgery. Here was another one coming two days later and saying surgery is not possible because the brain is damaged and the hospital can do nothing about. Why would two doctors reading the same scan give contradictory opinions,” a family friend, Philip Kahuha averred.

After a heated exchange, the father said the surgeon agreed to operate on his son, but was later called and informed that he was in critical condition.

“I left the hospital with a lot of hope that my son will be finally be operated on but at about 8.30pm I received a call from the hospital that his condition had deteriorated,” he added.

“Immediately I arrived at the ward, the doctors stopped the supporting machine and said the heart is not beating and my son is no more. They told me to go back home and return in the morning.”

“We want the KNH management to tell us why they prepared our son for surgery and failed to perform the surgery. From what I saw there is high level of professional negligence."

On Thursday, KNH Chief Executive Officer Lily Koros was sent on a compulsory leave to allow for probe into the incident.

Muthee's body has reportedly been transferred to Cherangany Nursing home in Kitale, Trans Nzoia County, where he will be laid to rest.