Surgery Second Opinion Cases - Get Second Opinion

A lot of people, both women and men seek surgery or expensive medical treatments nowadays. These can be necessitated by ailments and chronic medical conditions with serious repercussions. However, at times, it is better that you seek the opinion of another doctor before going ahead with a major operation or surgery to cure such ailments. Seeking or not seeking surgery second opinion can have a serious impact on your future health and well-being.

Dr. T. Chandrakant, General Surgeon from Bhopal, India discusses real-time General Surgery second opinion cases and emphasizes on the importance of surgery second opinion.

Real-Time Surgery Second Opinion Cases

Case of A 42-Year-Old Male With Pain On The Right Side Of The Tongue

Take the case of Mr. Robin Sharma (not the real name), a 42-year-old corporate executive. Mr. Sharma, who lives a jet-set lifestyle and hardly has any time for things outside job, was undergoing a dental problem for some time. The tight side of his tongue was numbed by sharp pain and changing toothpaste, mouthwash or trying home remedies did not help.

He visited a dentist who suspected the case to be triggered by sharp edges of his teeth. Based on the diagnosis, the dental surgeon ground the teeth edges with his equipment and also offered him some painkiller ointments for recovery. However, Mr. Robin Sharma did not find any relief from the painful sensation and neither the mass beside his teeth reduce. Instead, it was gradually becoming larger with time.

Panicked about any hidden complication, he sought the opinion of another reputed dental surgeon near DU campus. This dentist asked him to undergo Biopsy and MRI after listening to the case history thoroughly. The MRI results shocked Mr. Robin Sharma and the doctor informed him of growth with lymph nodes in the neck part. The biopsy report is awaited.

This incident clearly shows how important the role of a second opinion from a surgeon is in the life of any person as far as health is concerned. If the biopsy report shows this to be a form of cancer the cost and repercussions can be quite high. This could be evaded if the patient went for a surgery second opinion instead of waiting for two months after visiting the first dentist. Health complications would be less severe and treatment cost would be on the lower side too.

Case Of A 75-Year-Old Male With Kidney Failure

Elderly people with weaker immunity should seek a second opinion from a surgeon before undergoing surgical procedures to avoid problems later. Take the case of Inderjeet Singh (not the real name), the 75-year-old retired bank employee developed persistent high fever suddenly and medications and antibiotics did not show any results. Upon hospitalization, doctors found a kidney was not functioning well too.

Upon treatment for kidney, the issue of raised WBC count remained unclear. At this juncture, he or his family could seek surgery second opinion which they did not. Upon further degradation of health in next week, the family members decided to get him admitted to a bigger hospital. Here the real culprit behind his failing health was detected! The surgeon found a perianal abscess, which was draining at that time.

He was later taken to another surgeon for the dressing of that non-healing perianal wound. The surgeon advised surgery to remove the collection of the pus just beneath the abdominal wall. After the operation, the 250 ml thick pus was drained and a big slough was removed. The WBC count came down slowly and he showed signs of recovery thereafter. He was declared feet after two weeks of the surgery. The surgeon said if this went on untreated, the consequences could be serious. As it is, Mr. Singh’s insurance cover got exhausted in the course of treatment.

The case of Inderjeet Singh clearly points out to the importance of seeking a second medical opinion in serious health conditions. If the MRI was done earlier the suffering would be less and the treatment cost would be lower as well.

Case Of A Female Patient With Pain In The Abdomen Even After Appendectomy

Even for undergoing regular and uncomplicated medical surgeries, the importance of the second opinion cannot be undermined. Take the instance of Mrs. Malavika Arora (not the real name). Malavika was suffering from pain at the abdomen for some time and when it started getting recurring, she visited a Gastroenterologist.

The Gastroenterologist did some tests and declared this to be a clear case of appendicitis. He advised her to undergo an appendectomy. She made the mistake of not discussing her medical history with the doctor at this juncture. Neither did she seek any surgery second opinion on her condition. After a few weeks of the surgery, she felt the pain recurring. It was baffling both for her and the doctor she went to.

She got in touch with another Gastroenterologist who performed a thorough test and asked her detailed medical history as well. It was found while the condition was diagnosed as appendicitis and appendectomy was carried out, the part of the intestine that got inflamed owing to infection was left untreated. Following this incident, she had to undergo additional treatments and prolonged recovery.

This could be avoided if the first doctor carried out tests like the colonoscopy and CT scan, etc. It could be better if Malavika clarified about her medical facts and past to the doctor. Malavika could also seek the second opinion from a surgeon here. Rather than going for the operation in a hurry, she could have taken a second opinion from a Gastroenterologist and it would have helped her evade the suffering and unnecessary treatment.

If you or any of your family members are advised to undergo surgery, please get a second opinion now.