Date:10/09/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/09/10/stories/2008091055711200.htm

National

Karunakaran’s condition stable

Special Correspondent

VELLORE: The condition of veteran Congress leader and former Kerala Chief Minister K. Karunakaran, here at the Christian Medical College Hospital now, is critical but stable.

He was admitted to the intensive care unit on September 1 for treatment of sub-dural haematoma, which involves bleeding in the cranial cavity. He was shifted to a private ward on September 2 following improvement in his condition. But he was sent back to the ICU on Sunday following bronco-pneumonia involving lung infection.

Mr. Karunakaran, 90, came from Thiruvananthapuram by air-ambulance to the Naval Air Station in Arakkonam, and from there by road.

Lionel Gnanaraj, Medical Superintendent, said on Tuesday that he was being given antibiotics for his lung infection.

“He is recognising people and has improved over the last 48 hours. But we have to observe him on a day-to-day basis. Considering his age and the fact that he is prone to complications, we cannot say whether he has passed the critical stage,” he said.

Dr. Gnanaraj said Mr. Karunakaran was being given physiotherapy.His basic parameters such as blood pressure, pulse and respiration were stable.