Kidney Found After 8 Years: Second Medical Opinion; Need of the Hour

PRLog (Press Release) – Jul 05, 2008 – Moolchand Medcity, New Delhi, May 17, 2007

It was a sign of relief for 40-year-old Renu Mehta who after 8 years was told by the doctors at Moolchand Hospital that she had two normally functioning kidneys. 8 years back while doing a routine black and white ultrasound, she was told by the ultrasonologists that she had only one kidney.

Doctors at the hospital said that if 8 years back, she would have taken a second opinion or got the test repeated with color Doppler technology she would not have suffered from the mental agony of living with lot of restrictions. Doctors at Moolchand Hospital, while doing a Color Doppler Renal Ultrasound for evaluation of her recent high blood pressure, detected that she had both the kidneys. One of the kidneys instead of lying it its normal position was present in the center of the abdomen which is a known congenital anomaly. Both the kidneys were found to be normally functioning.

Abdominal ultrasound without using a Doppler or a Color Doppler technology is losing its importance day by day. Both plain Doppler and Color Doppler technologies not only help in easy understanding of the anatomy but in addition define the physiology and early diagnosis of many of the pathology disorders. Especially in case of high blood pressure it is important to do a Renal Doppler Ultrasound to evaluate renal artery functions, added the experts. The importance of second opinion also cannot be under estimated. Today, in the West second opinion is compulsory in many situations. No hysterectomy (uterus removal), bypass surgery, gall bladder removal, or caesarian sections can be performed unless similar opinion comes from 2 different medical experts. The same is now becoming true for knee joint replacement. The same should also be adopted in India. Also while reporting a rare congenital disorder, which can create an impact on the patients’ mind, it is advisable both at the level of the general public and also at the level of family physicians to take a second opinion.

Tips

One should take second opinion for any elective surgery or after a controversial investigative report

While going for a ultrasound always insist on getting it recorded either on a video cassette or on a CD Rom so that a second opinion can be taken without repeating the ultrasound examination

If you are being advised to have your gall bladder, kidney or uterus removed its better to take one more additional opinion from an independent doctor

If a report says "not seen", that does not mean that a particular thing is absent; so take one more opinion
Error of judgment is not negligence