Siddaganga seer wakes up before anaesthesia wears off

Doctors at Dr Rela Institute and Medical Centre in Chennai who performed a tricky bypass surgery on the 111-year-old Shivakumara Swami of the Siddaganga Mutt, witnessed a near medical miracle on Saturday.

As doctors and attendants were waiting for the pontiff to recover from the effect of anaesthesia which was expected to last for about four hours, the seer regained consciousness in just one hour and called out attendants.

Further, leaving nurses at the ICU shocked, the seer even removed his oxygen mask and questioned them in English where he was. As soon as the attendants and doctors rushed to the seer’s side, he noticed multiple LCD monitors all around and asked them why he was “surrounded by TV sets”.

Speaking to DH on condition of anonymity from the hospital in Chennai, one of the attendants of the seer said, “It was a sheer surprise for the doctors as they were very sceptical about the effects of anaesthesia, especially on a person of his age. But the seer overturned all calculations and regained consciousness in just one hour and even removed his oxygen mask.”

Later, the doctors and attendants apprised him about the four-hour-long surgery from 8.30 am to 12.30 pm and that he was being monitored by various gadgets.

The seer, while enquiring about his condition, also asked for his junior pontiff Siddalinga Swamiji, who was waiting outside as doctors refused to let in anybody fearing infection.

The seer also urged his attendants to take him to Siddanganga Mutt at the earliest.
An official release from the hospital said, “The seer underwent an operation to treat his liver and bile duct infection. The operation involved exploration of his bile ducts, removal of multiple metal and plastic stents within the bile duct and bypass between the bile duct in the liver and small intestine.

The pontiff tolerated the operation extremely well and was stable throughout the four-hour procedure. He is now awake and has fully recovered from the effects of anaesthesia. However, he is closely being observed in the Liver Intensive Care unit.”

Ban on mobiles, visitors

Prior to the surgery, the Suttur swami visited the pontiff. Subsequently, the seer walked to the operation theatre, surprising many.

Fearing infection, doctors banned the entry of visitors, including the junior seer of the Siddaganga mutt.
After several of the seer’s attendants released photos of the seer during his dinner and late-night walk in the ward to the media on the day of admission, the doctors sent out all attendants, except for one, and strictly warned them against using mobile phones.

V Somanna, an MLA from Bengaluru and a devotee of the swami, was also made to wait outside.
On the seer’s request, the junior pontiff and others were allowed inside to speak to Shivakumara Swami in the evening. Later, the junior seer told reporters that the pontiff has recovered fully.

‘Operation success’

“The operation has been a success and we are grateful to the team of doctors at Chennai and Bengaluru. He has been advised rest for another four days and he will be at the hospital,” he said.