Q: My brother had a paralytic attack on the right side so a CT scan was done. There was a large clot in the brain. The doctor said he was out of danger and the CT scan was normal. The very next day, when the doctor checked him, his vision was not clear and the doctor asked for a MRI scan. That night itself the MRI showed massive right MCA ischaemic stroke (Right Hemispherical Infarct) with mass effect. The next day my brother was declared brain dead and was put on a ventilator. He had a cardio-respiratory arrest and was declared dead. I feel that my brother died due to negligence. Please advise if there was any chance for my brother’s survival?

A:I am sorry to learn of your brother’s death. You state that the CT scan showed a large clot in the brain. If this was so, it is highly unlikely that the doctor would have said that the CT scan was normal. The presence of a large clot in the brain carries grave risks to health and life and it is unlikely that the doctor would have told you that the patient was out of danger. You also state that the next day the MRI showed a massive damage to the right forebrain from lack of blood supply. If this followed upon the large clot described by you on the CT scan, the combination could have been fatal. Your doctors must have carried out tests and showed that the brain was permanently and irreparably damaged. This, inevitably, leads to stoppage of the actions of the lungs and the heart. You must consult a senior consultant neurophysician or neurosurgeon in your neighbourhood for an accurate analysis of the series of events as they unfolded. Your consultant can then comment on whether, indeed, there was negligence.