Basu put on haemo-dialysis, condition worsens

CPI-M patriarch Jyoti Basu was put on haemo-dialysis today after further deterioration in his cardiac and renal functions, doctors attending on him said.

"The cardiovascular system has further deteriorated. His cardiac and renal functions have undergone further deterioration and he has been put on haemo-dialysis since 6.30 pm," a medical bulletin quoted D N Agarwal, executive director of AMRI Hospital, where Basu was admitted on January one with pneumonia, as saying.

"After monitoring the haemo-dialysis for four hours to clear accumulated toxins in the blood, the doctors will be in a position to say whether he is able to accept it," he said.

Haemo-dialysis is done to remove waste products from the blood by passing it out of the body, through a filtering system (dialyser), and returning it to the body.

According to Agarwal, the 95-year-old leader's condition was very critical and his oxygen requirement has further increased on ventilator support.

He was also requiring increased dose of blood pressure stabilising Ionotrops, he said.

Earlier, AMRI Hospital doctor Susruth Banerjee and Basu's personal physician A K Maity, both of whom are on the medical board treating the former chief minister, said he was heading for multi-organ failure.

There was a also large mobilisation of police near the hospital.