Professor Amit Patel, a well-known British Indian physician, passed away unexpectedly in 2021 from a rare medical illness. Following Professor Amit Patel's sudden death, his widow is accusing him of medical negligence. Professor Patel, an expert in stem cell transplantation, died of complications from Still's disease, a rare inflammatory syndrome that causes HLH, a potentially fatal immunological sickness.
Professor Patel's widow, Dr. Shivani Tanna, a general practitioner, expressed disappointment at how medical experts handled her husband's situation despite his expertise in the subject. She described a number of issues he encountered during his treatment, including difficulty receiving essential medical information and the hospital's lack of knowledge about HLH.
Professor Patel was first brought to a Manchester hospital with flu-like symptoms that were thought to be caused by a throat infection. Despite receiving treatment, his condition continued to decline. Even after initiating steroid medication, his condition rapidly worsened, leading to conversations about his being released for outpatient care. But more issues forced his transfer to critical care, where on October 28, 2021, he tragically died despite attempts to save his life, including a lung biopsy and sedation on a specialized ECMO machine.
Hematologist Dr. Simon Watts acknowledged that there were communication and decision-making problems in the hospital's handling of Professor Patel's case during the inquiry into his unexpected death.
Colleagues at Imperial College London, where Professor Patel completed his PhD and postdoctoral studies, honored him for his pioneering role in cancer research and stem cell transplantation.
Dr. Tanna felt disappointed in not being able to move her husband to a prestigious hospital in London, but she still praised him as an extraordinary clinician and human being. She criticized the staff shortage, stating that nurses asked her to keep an eye on her husband's fluid levels and make simple observations, and that she was not allowed to see her husband's blood results when he was admitted to the hospital.
Dr. Tanna's allegations have been rejected by the legal counsel of Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, the hospital system that treats Professor Patel.
The couple met in their medical school and developed a strong relationship due to the same profession. Dr. Tanna praised Professor Patel's exceptional abilities as a clinician and teacher, stressing the medical community's tragic loss.
(Input from various resources)
(Rehash/Susmita Bhandary/MSM)
