The story told by Devmi's mother about her daughter who died after a tooth extraction.

A tragic news was reported recently about a twenty-year-old young woman who unfortunately passed away while receiving treatment in a hospital due to a sudden allergic reaction that occurred after a tooth extraction at a private hospital in the Horana area. During the inquest into the death of this young woman, who resided in the Bandharawatta area of Pokunuwita, Horana, a lot of information about the incident was revealed through the emotional testimony given by her mother.

Mrs. Madapathage Lakmali Priyadarshani, the mother of the deceased young woman, emphasized in her testimony that her daughter felt faint immediately after the anesthetic drug was injected during the tooth extraction, and when this was brought to the doctor's attention, the doctor dismissed it as a normal condition.

The deceased, Miss Kottage Devmi Madushika, was the second child in her family. She had studied at Horana Medhankara Maha Vidyalaya, sat for the Advanced Level examination, and was staying at home awaiting her results. According to her mother's statement, she had no long-term serious illnesses. About a year ago, when she was frightened by something, she experienced an increased heart rate and a headache, for which she consulted a doctor at the Colombo National Hospital and received treatment. Medical tests, including CT scans conducted at that time, confirmed that she had no underlying medical conditions, and after taking medication for about four months, that condition had completely healed. Since then, she had been a very healthy young woman, carrying out her daily activities normally.

The series of events related to the incident began about three weeks prior when she developed a cold. By December 12, 2025, her cold had worsened, and on the night of the 13th, she suffered from a severe toothache. Although her mother gave her painkillers, she found no relief and remained awake in pain throughout the night. The next day, December 14th, being a Sunday, her parents, thinking it would be difficult to go to a government hospital, took her to a private hospital in the Horana area. There, they were given number nine for tooth extraction, so they went to the Horana Government Hospital for treatment for her cold while waiting for their reserved time, and then returned to the private hospital.

At the private hospital, after examining the patient, the dentist stated that a tooth at the back of her jaw was decayed and needed to be extracted. With the mother's consent, it was decided to extract the tooth, and an injection was given to numb the gums before the extraction. Immediately after receiving this injection, the daughter told her mother that she felt faint. Although this was promptly reported to the doctor, the doctor said it could be a normal condition caused by fear. Subsequently, the tooth was extracted, and they returned home with the painkillers prescribed by the doctor.

However, from the moment she returned home, the young woman was in severe discomfort. She refused to eat and only drank a packet of milk given by her mother before falling asleep. The next day, December 15th, she developed diarrhea in the morning, and by midday, rashes were visible on her face. Realizing the seriousness of the situation, her parents immediately took her to a doctor in the Pokunuwita area. The doctor who examined her stated that the patient's blood pressure had dropped to a very dangerous level and advised immediate hospitalization.

Accordingly, they admitted their daughter back to the same private hospital where the tooth extraction had taken place. There, doctors suspected that it might be an allergic reaction to some medication. Despite administering saline and other medications as treatment, her blood pressure did not return to normal. As that private hospital did not have an intensive care unit, the hospital authorities, realizing it was difficult to control the patient's condition, advised transferring her to a government hospital. Consequently, her parents arranged for her to be admitted to the Horana District General Hospital via ambulance.

At Horana Hospital, doctors who examined her admitted her to Ward 5 and began treatment with saline and oxygen. However, her condition gradually worsened, and she began to behave very restlessly, her mother testified. After blood tests, doctors stated that her kidneys had failed. As the situation was critical, arrangements were made to transfer her to the Intensive Care Unit. Meanwhile, doctors also suspected that she had pneumonia and that a severe pathogen had entered her body.

Day by day, the young woman's health deteriorated, and severe complications arose related to her kidneys and heart. Doctors had to perform blood transfusions several times. Tests were conducted to check for leptospirosis, but the results were negative. Although a CT scan was required for further examination, the relevant machine at Horana Hospital was out of order, so she had to be sent to Nagoda Hospital. That test revealed that there was fluid in her brain. Although she was transferred to the Colombo National Hospital for surgery for this condition, she was sent back to Horana Hospital, as it was stated that surgery could not be performed due to the patient's critical condition.

After several days battling between life and death in the Intensive Care Unit, the young woman finally passed away around 8:30 PM on December 28th. The hospital informed her parents of her death via telephone. The inquest into this sudden death was held before Horana Inquirer into Sudden Deaths, Mr. Sumedha Gunawardena, where, in addition to the mother, the father, Mr. Chandana Kumara Jayasiri, also gave testimony.

Specialist Judicial Medical Officer Mr. Sandakan Waduge, who conducted the post-mortem examination regarding the incident, did not state a definitive cause of death and took steps to send body parts for further forensic reports. Accordingly, the Inquirer into Sudden Deaths declared this an open verdict. The unfortunate death of a healthy young woman within a few days after undergoing a routine dental treatment has caused deep shock among the residents of the area.