Indexing Title:

OLEYSON’s Medical Anecdotal Report [05-06]

MAR Title:  Because of Santol seeds

Date of Medical Observation: July , 2005

Narration:

I was on my way home when my phone rang. It came from my friend an announcer from Radio Mindanao Network.  She asked me if I can be interview in her noon time program regarding Santol seeds which will be an hour from the time she called. I had a chance to tell her our departments advocacy regarding “ Huwag lulunukin ang buto ng santol dahil ito’y nakamamatay” a week before she called.

She informed me that she will call in my house in a few minutes to conduct the live interview. So I cut a few corners and hurried home to waited for her call. I was so excited then to finally tell every listener of her show of our advocacy. When it rang, I grabbed the phone and so the interview begins.

I started with the my patient 63-year-old female patient came in with a chief complaint of abdominal pain which started three days prior to consult when patient experienced, left lower quadrant tenderness, excruciating, persistent not relieved by medications.

Apparent history of swallowing santol seeds few hours when the patient experienced abdominal pain. A day prior to admission patient consulted in our institution . We admitted the patient with the impression of acute abdomen probably secondary to ruptured viscus probably to ingested santol seeds.

Patient was a known asthmatic with last known attack 2 weeks prior to the onset of abdominal pain. Intra-operative findings was consistent with the primary clinical diagnosis. A perforation was noted about 10 cm from the peritoneal reflection of the sigmoid colon.  A single santol seed was seen intra-abdominally with generalized peritonitis secondary to fecal soilage. Post-operative complication arises and patient succumbed to respiratory distress which lead to her demise.

She was alarmed by my statement, and apparently one of her assistant also loved to swallow santol seeds.

I advised her assistant not to swallow santol seeds or else he would end up with an acute surgical abdomen that needs surgical intervention.  It was only two days after my patient succumbed to death when I was interviewed and I was glad that I had the chance to inform the public of the danger of swallowing santol seeds.

Insights (Reinforcements, Stimulus, Discovery)( Ethical, Psychosocial, Physical)

As physicians, we took our oath that we will be of service to our fellowmen, in the best of our abilities.  Sometimes, we would we must step out on our way to inform the public the danger of  swallowing santol seeds may cause potentially life threatening condition.  The debilitation and deaths associated with swallowing santol seeds have reached a magnitude to consider it a public health problem.

We must continue our advocacy and educate the public with this preventable disease that carries the risk of premature deaths even in an otherwise healthy individual.

The following duty came, and around 3 o’clock in the afternoon, a supposedly our guard-off duty  came in at the emergency room with a patient.  He came to me and was talking about a certain “ Doctor Leyson from OM” whom he heard over the radio.  He asked me if I knew the doctor and if the santol seeds was really poses  life-threatening condition.

I admittedly told him that I am Dr Leyson of Ospital ng Maynila and it was true that santol seeds really poses a life threatening condition.  This only proves that our advocacy is really reaching out fellowmen through radio and we must strive harder to achieve our goal in educating the public regarding santol seeds.