Husband of June Wanza, the woman who died after botched breast surgery reveals what happened to her

Piece by: Caren Nyota
Lifestyle

The husband of June Wanza, the woman who died in June after breast enhancement surgery, says a bacterial infection could have eaten up her intestines following the operation.

Joseph Mulupi accuses surgeons of negligence leading to perforation of the intestines during the breast surgery.

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He says the management of Wanza at Nairobi Hospital was wanting and her death could have been avoided.

Mulupi’s account is contained in demand letters sent to Surgeoderm Clinic and his testimony at the Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Board, which is probing the death.

“Perforation of the intestines was negligent as you and your team were obligated to apply sufficient care andattention through the operation,” he says in the letters sent in July and August.

It is telling that post-operative care was inadequate as sufficient monitoring of the patient would have detected a complication arising from the lowering of the blood pressure, temperature and/or pulse rate suggesting bacterial infection eating up the artery tissues in the gut.

The letters have been attached to an affidavit filed in court by Surgeoderm director and plastic surgeon Prof Stanley Khainga in his effort to stop the probe by the KMPDB.

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Wanja, 33, was an aspiring model and avid blogger. She had breast enlargement at the clinic on June 5 this year.

The enlargement involved a fat transfer, not an implant.

She later developed complications and was rushed to Nairobi Hospital where she died after few days.

Khainga and two other Surgeoderm doctors exonerate themselves from her death, saying a doctor at Nairobi Hospital should be held responsible.

In his affidavit, Khainga says Nairobi Hospital received Wanza in stable condition but it was Dr Reuben Okioma who injured Wanza’s neck at the hospital, causing the injuries that led to her death.

He says after the neck veins were punctured, a blood gushed into Wanza’s lungs and stomach.

She suffered hypovolemic shock, cardiac arrest and died, he said. Hypovolemic shock occurs when the body loses more than 20 per cent of the blood or fluid supply.

The loss makes it impossible for the heart to pump sufficient blood.

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Organ failure occurs. The account is supported by Surgeoderm’s trainee plastic surgeon Martin Ajujo and anaesthesiologist Evans Cherono.

Khainga’s claim is supported by results of a post-mortem performed by Daniel Zuriel.

The three doctors say they fear KMPDB will blame them for Wanza’s death yet

it is Dr Reuben Okioma who injured the neck vessels of the patient, causing the injuries that led to her death.

Credits: The Star