The death of a 42-year-old man, who had sustained a head injury in a road accident, sparked tension at Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital (GH) on Monday morning. Family members said he had been on ventilator support and claimed it was disrupted after a brief power interruption at the Institute of Neurology’s head injury Intensive Care Unit (ICU).
But, hospital authorities said he was brought to GH in a critical condition with a severe head injury. His death was not related to the power disruption as every ventilator has battery back-up of two hours. A generator facility was also available, they said.
R. Ponmurugan, a resident of Triplicane, was injured after his two-wheeler skidded off the road on April 30. He was treated at a private hospital and shifted to GH on May 2. Doctors said his family members were informed about his critical condition on Sunday.
“He had bilateral temporal bone fracture and blood clot due to the injury. He was put on ventilator at the ICU. His condition was deteriorating and his blood pressure dipped on Sunday. Neurosurgeons tried to revive him but he collapsed on Monday morning. He was declared dead but his family members protested,” said a hospital official.
R. Mohan, a friend of the deceased, claimed the ventilator support snapped as soon as the power supply was interrupted. A doctor said the rains had caused sudden power disruption. “Even if the ventilator turns faulty, we have manual resuscitators (Ambu bags). There is no question of neglect,” he added.
Police sources said there was a brief power disruption around 5.20 a.m. but supply resumed within minutes.
