Doctors debating if Big B needs more surgeries

MUMBAI: Doctors at SevenHills Hospital are closely monitoring Amitabh Bachchan's condition and are yet to decide if the actor needs to undergo another surgery immediately. Another problem pertaining to his abdomen seems to have cropped up and investigations are still on, said sources.

TOI had reported that the superstar might have developed haematoma (the clotting of blood outside the blood vessels), a known complication after hernia surgeries. Usually, the clots are removed through a surgical procedure.

Bachchan has been recuperating at SevenHills Hospital in Marol since last Saturday after undergoing back-to-back surgeries for hernia.

On Friday, TOI learnt that Big B might have some more health complications that need attention. "During pre-operative examinations before the hernia surgery, doctors found out that there were some other problems in his abdomen. As hernia surgery had to be given priority, it was decided that his other problems would be looked into later," said a source.

Doctors at SevenHills Hospital, however, refused to divulge any details except that Bachchan Senior was recovering well.

The source added that following the hernia surgery, the dormant problem started bothering him again. The actor had tweeted on Wednesday, "the pain remains... not at the site of wound but in the stomach."

"But he may not be operated immediately as his body is yet to recover from the hernia surgery," said the source. Though there are no dietary constraints, the actor has been exercising extreme caution about his food. He has only been eating home-cooked food. and not even the hospital food.

Doctors at the hospital have been very cautious about Bachchan's medication and have been giving him drugs "sparingly". "His liver is already vulnerable. So, he is being given a lot of nutrition and antibiotics intravenously. Pain killers, too, are given wisely," said the source.

Sources close to the Bachchans said the actor was being given antibiotics for some infection. Bachchan had developed cirrhosis of the liver after an incident in 1982 in which he was gravely injured during the filming of Coolie and required about 60 bottles of blood. Blood transfusion from an infected donor had resulted in the liver disease.

A source from the hospital said the actor was recuperating well after the hernia surgery. "He has been reading a lot," and utilizing his recovery time well," said the source. Big B's family and friends have been continuously by his side.