In the lawsuit filed today at the High Court registry here, Pertemahwadi Isac claimed that her doctor, Dr Abdul Muiz Jasid, did not pay attention to the medical complications caused by the opening of a surgical wound on her left breast.

She had undergone a bypass surgery at Serdang Hospital on Feb 16, 2016 and was discharged from the hospital on Feb 24.

However, after the surgery, Pertemahwadi complained to Muiz that the wound on her chest had started to open up.

“The doctor told me the stitches were normal because of the weight of my breast,” she said in her statement, adding that the heart specialist was negligent in discharging her despite the wound having opened up.

She added, “Dr Abdul Muiz did not give any support or advice to me on how to reduce the opening.”

She claimed she was also not given any antibiotics to treat the wound.

Pertemahwadi said she later underwent a Vacuum Assisted Closure treatment, as advised by Muiz, but that it was only after she had sought post-surgery treatment at a government clinic.

As a result, the 56-year-old said the infection had spread to her entire left breast.

“I had no choice but to remove my entire breast,” she said, adding she is suffering emotional distress due to the loss of one breast.

In her statement of claim, Pertemahwadi is seeking RM20 million in general and aggravated damages as well as RM223,487.60 for special damages.

She named Muiz and the government as defendants in the lawsuit.

Pertemahwadi’s lawyer, Arunan Selvaraj said that they had written to Serdang Hospital on three occasions, seeking an explanation on what had transpired during the bypass surgery.

“They (Serdang Hospital) did not respond to us at all,” he said at a press conference after filing the lawsuit.

Pertemahwadi, who was not present at the press conference today, is also a diabetic, according to Arunan.

He also said that the hospital had only later called the housewife to give a brief explanation on the incident.

“My client was told to sign a letter, promising she will not take legal action against the hospital,” he said.

Arunan said Pertemahwadi refused to sign the letter.

“We have no choice but to come to court to seek justice,” he added.