We have some very enthusiastic doctors in the institute. It is people like them who are responsible for bringing about a change.
One patient came to the outpatient clinic with chronic pelvic pain. We treated her with a course of antibiotic. After her symptoms persisted, we decided to perform a laparoscopy on her, thinking it could be endometriosis. In the meantime, an ultrasonography was done on her, to see if there were any masses that could not be detected clinically. Her report showed:
‘An ovarian cyst measuring 6.4 mm X 4.4 mm, with echoes within, suggestive of a complex ovarian cyst’. We have had such reports in past, when the overworked resident doctor performing ultrasonography had written mm in place of cm. So we sent the patient back for clarification and a reassessment if required. The same resident doctor reassessed her and confirmed that the size of the complex ovarian cyst was indeed 6.4 mm X 4.4 mm. I called her and spoke to her on phone. She was sure of her diagnosis. I asked her superior officer if their machine had such resolution that the diagnosis of a complex ovarian cyst of such a small size could be made. She said ‘no’. It is possible the resident doctor is very good, and what we would believe to be an ovarian follicle turns out to be a complex ovarian cyst. Though I am not willing to bet on it, I will look at her ovary during laparoscopy and find out what she has actually got.
