Duty to advise all patients prior to medical procedures

IN March this year, my 86-year-old father was advised to undergo a procedure at a well-known private hospital in Kuala Lumpur. He has had a history of gastro-intestinal complications and therefore needed a further investigation.

He agreed to a CT scan but prior to the procedure, the radiologist failed to brief him about the contraindications of the contrast dye used. Four hours after a double dose of gastrografin, he suffered severe bouts of diarrhoea which continued for two days. It has also aggravated his gastro-intestinal tract, caused renal back pain, excessive salivation and other complications related to digestion, the kidneys and lungs. As a result, he has lost more weight and is now physically delicate.