Man in coma after stroke mistaken for drunk in cell

Employees of the Federal Penitentiary Service of Sverdlovsk Oblast are suspected of driving a convict doing correctional labor into a comatose state after mistaking him for a drug addict. 52-year-old Igor Sh. was kept in a cell for several days in a pre-stroke condition because they thought he was faking. According to relatives, as a result, the man was taken to the hospital too late and is now paralyzed — he cannot speak, move, or even swallow. Here is what is known about this case.

Behavior called «inappropriate»

Igor was serving his sentence doing correctional labor at UFIC No. 2 in Verkhneye Dubrovo, Sverdlovsk Oblast. He was transported to work at a factory in Yekaterinburg. On July 6, the convict fell ill at the checkpoint. A few days earlier, he had complained of poor health, coordination problems, and fluctuating vision. Previously, the man had blood pressure issues. He had already experienced hypertensive crises in the colony, and help was always provided on time, with IV drips — but in the correctional center, something went wrong.

«He was suspected of drug or alcohol use because he was supposedly behaving inappropriately. A doctor examined him and said he was faking a mental disorder. For several days, Igor was kept locked up in a room for violators, and then relatives were called and told: «Oh, it turns out he wasn’t faking.» By the way, no drugs were found on him or in his system in the end. He turned out to be «clean.» They took him to the hospital, and he was already in «serious condition.» So it turns out that in prison they saved him, but when he was almost free — they nearly killed him,» — says a friend of Igor.

Fed through a tube in the nose

According to the man«s acquaintances, the initial prognosis was extremely poor. It was even suggested to move him to a palliative care unit. Only recently did he open his eyes, but his condition remains very serious.

«He is not in a coma, but rather in a pre-comatose state. He is in the neurology department. Diagnosis: stroke. No swallowing reflex, no speech. They feed him through a tube that goes through his nose straight into his stomach. He recently opened his eyes, but stares blankly. He was a practically healthy guy, worked at a factory, and now he’s like a vegetable. The right side is paralyzed. It’s horrifying to see. They give no prognosis; everything is very bad,» — reported Igor’s friend.

E1.RU sent a request to GUFSIN for Sverdlovsk Oblast regarding the situation. As soon as a response is received, we will add it to the publication.

Update:

GUFSIN reported that the convict was noticed in an inappropriate condition by the staff of an industrial enterprise.

«The management of UFIC was notified. They arrived at the scene on the day of detection and brought him to the Interior Ministry department for Zarechny, where an unknown substance in capsules was seized from the convict. The substance was sent for analysis. It is worth noting that he was convicted under two drug-related articles (Article 228 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation),» — the department reported.

According to GUFSIN, on the same day the convict underwent examinations at the City Hospital of Asbest (GAUZ SO) and at the Southern Psychiatric Hospital (a branch of the Sverdlovsk Regional Clinical Psychiatric Hospital). A medical examination report was drawn up.

«Doctors recorded signs of injections and diagnosed poisoning by an unknown substance. From the moment of detection until the deterioration of Sh.«s condition, he was under the supervision of medical personnel. No complaints were received from him,» — the press service said.

«When his condition worsened, an ambulance was immediately called, and he was taken from UFIC to the neurology department of a medical facility. Details of the diagnosis and treatment are not subject to disclosure under the requirements of Article 13 of Federal Law No. 323-FZ of November 21, 2011,» — the GUFSIN press service reported.

We have published a detailed analysis by a cardiovascular surgeon on how to recognize a stroke and determine if you are at risk. Also read about five signs that can help you understand if you have had a «silent» stroke.