Ex-BBB Thelma Assis, anesthesiologist, analyzes rape of pregnant sedated in cesarean

BBB 20 champion and anesthesiologist Thelma Assis, 37, was at the Meeting (Globo) this Tuesday morning (12) and analyzed the case of Giovanni Quintella Bezerra, an anesthesiologist, arrested in the act for the rape of a drugged patient who was undergoing a cesarean section at the Hospital da Mulher Heloneida Studart, in Rio de Janeiro.

“This criminal is not a doctor. Being a doctor is much more than having knowledge. Being a doctor is being empathetic, having sensitivity and solidarity. He has a CRM [Conselho Federal de Medicina]which I hope he loses soon”, said Thelma, in conversation with Patrícia Poeta, 45.

The anesthesiologist explained how anesthesia for cesarean sections works and said that, in general, pregnant women are not sedated without medical advice. “Technically, anesthesia for pregnant women, the pregnant woman takes a block, which we call spinal. These are anesthesias that will ensure that the patient does not feel pain and does not move from the waist down.”

Thelma said that Bezerra put the health of the pregnant woman at risk, and that the sedative could still interfere in the postpartum period, in which the mother breastfeeds the baby. “In addition to a crime, he also committed recklessness. He was exposing the patient to risk if he sedated her without the indication,” she added.

The BBB champion also praised the agility of the nurses and assistants who noticed the abuse and filmed the action to denounce the anesthesiologist. “They needed proof. It’s our responsibility,” said Thelma. She also added that “our specialty is in mourning”.

During the program, Bárbara Lomba, the delegate responsible for the investigation, explained the progress of the case. “We’re going to hear from the rest of the nursing staff, the doctor who was present at the surgery, and probably someone from the victim’s family,” she explained.

The delegate said that part of the nursing team has already given interviews and that the process from the point of mistrust of professionals to Bezerra’s arrest took a month. “They acted almost like the police, they did a great collection of evidence,” she praised.

Lomba also said that two other possible victims came to look for the police, and that investigations will be carried out with all the patients who have already been treated by the anesthesiologist at the Hospital da Mulher Heloneida Studart.

“When we found out about it, we thought it could have been something isolated,” Lomba continued. “When I arrived at the police station and saw part of the images, I immediately remembered the birth of my son. I put myself in that woman’s shoes. In 21 years of profession, this was the most shocking and terrifying scene I have ever seen.”