Q: My mother was suffering from prolapsed urinary sac. She was wearing a ring for past 2 years, but it developed some wounds and a sling operation became necessary. As she was having urinary infection, she was treated for that too. The surgery was postponed till the urinary infection was cleared. She was also having erratic BP, borderline raised sugar and low thyroid function - as the dosage of medicine for her high thyroid levels were bit higher. During the postponement, the doctor also treated her to bring the BP, sugar & thyroid levels under control. She was operated and was well for 2 days, but developed septicaemia, which resulted in low BP and lung infection. She was kept in ICU for 10 days and was on the ventilator for 8 days. The infection in the lungs and the septicaemia was brought under control. She was taken off the ventilator on 1st may and we were told that the worst was over. However, she had a cardiac arrest after 2 days and passed away. She was 74 years old. Is there any method by, which septicaemia could have been prevented?

A:Septicaemia is a fulminant form of infection anywhere in the body, which due to release of certain cytokines affects many other organs and can be a killer. Any severe infection can take the form of septicaemia, there is no way of predicting that. Those who are old, diabetic have lowered resistance & have greater predilection to develop septicaemia.