Doctor: Adib could move hands, legs, respond to commands

SHAH ALAM: A doctor told the coroner’s court that fireman Muhammad Adib Mohd Kassim was able to move his hands and legs, and responded to doctor’s commands through hand signals on the sixth day he was treated at the National Heart Institute (IJN).

IJN intensive care unit director Datuk Dr Suneta Sulaiman said Adib was conscious on Dec 4 and was able to respond to doctors.

Adib was transferred to IJN from Subang Jaya Medical Centre on Nov 29.

Questioned by deputy public prosecutor Zhafran Rahim Hamzah, Dr Suneta said Adib was still in critical condition at the time and was under sedation.

However, doctors were able to assess his neurological condition when he opened his eyes and responded to simple commands.

Zhafran: What happened on the sixth day he was in IJN?

Dr Suneta: He (Adib) was still under sedation but we were able to assess his neurological condition.

Zhafran: What do you mean? Did he regain consciousness?

Dr Suneta: Yes. He started to obey commands. He opened his eyes. We sedated him but he was more alert than before.

Zhafran: Seeing if he could obey commands, was the purpose of that to conduct neurological assessment?

Dr Suneta: Yes. On the sixth day, he could obey simple commands and was able to move his hands and legs on his own. He complained that he felt pain in his right shoulder.

Zhafran: How did he convey this information?

Dr Suneta: I asked him if he was in pain and where it hurt. He pointed to his right shoulder.

Zhafran: Were there other assessments of him?

Dr Suneta: I asked him to do breathing exercises and he could do them. I asked him to grip my hand, lift his head up and lift his hand up. He did all those.

Dr Suneta said that she referred Adib’s complaint of pain to an orthopaedic team from Kuala Lumpur Hospital, who went to IJN the same day to assess Adib.