The father of a man in Chile who was left with brain damage after he visited the dentist to have a tooth pulled out has spoken out about his family's ordeal. Hernán Olave visited the Gustavo Fricke Hospital in the city of Viña del Mar on the Pacific coast of central Chile to have a tooth removed, newspaper La Estrella de Valparaíso reported. The 32-year-old contracted an infection which affected his brain, according to the El Observador newspaper. He was left unable to move his legs, and his parents were forced to become his carers. His father, Leonel Olave, told La Estrella de Valparaíso that his son initially experienced the usual symptoms of an extraction, like a swollen face. But over time, he started to vomit and feel unwell. He was taken to another facility, and returned to Gustavo Fricke Hospital. Doctors diagnosed him with a brain infection, and he was transferred to Carlos van Buren hospital in Valparaíso. "And from there my son was never the same again," Leonel Olave said. His son is "completely dependent" on him and his wife. Leonel Olave used to work, but he said he has had to put everything aside to take care of his son. He and his wife are older, he explained, and do not earn enough to cover their son's needs and their living costs. The father said he wanted to speak publicly about his situation because he fears his son "will never be healthy again." The family flagged the cause to the authorities. However, the case was closed in 2017. Representatives of Gustavo Fricke Hospital did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Newsweek. The hospital said in a statement seen by El Observador that: "A comprehensive health team delivered complete medical care, including kinesiological care, specialty medical treatment and access to pharmacological treatments required by Mr. Hernán Olave to improve his quality of life and help in his recovery through the healthcare network." The statement continued: "The center provided all background information required by the State Defense Committee, a processed that finished in 2017, and will help with every request required from the Courts of Justice." Source
