Woman, 68, died after routine op
A retired hospital worker died as a result of an extremely rare complication which occurred during a routine operation at Dudley's Russells Hall Hospital, an inquest heard.
A retired hospital worker died as a result of an extremely rare complication which occurred during a routine operation at Dudley's Russells Hall Hospital, an inquest heard.
A piece of tissue curled up in Delphine Williams's throat after being "pinched" during the procedure, Dudley Coroners Court was told yesterday. The throat tissue blocked the airway of Mrs Williams, aged 68, who eventually went into cardiac arrest and died at the hospital on February 3 last year. She was originally admitted to the hospital with stomach problems.
It was also suspected Mrs Williams, a retired hospital orderly of Cressett Lane, Brockmoor, Brierley Hill, had cancer of the pancreas.
She underwent an endoscopy, a procedure that allows doctors to see inside a patient's digestive system by inserting a long flexible tube with a light and camera attached down the throat.
Dr Neil Fisher, who carries out around 700 endoscopies a year, performed the procedure but said it had initially been difficult because Mrs Williams had trouble swallowing the tube. But, with the help of a guide called an overtube, it then progressed as normal.
Dr Fisher told Black Country coroner Robin Balmain Mrs Williams's throat lining could have been pinched between the endoscope and the overtube and stripped away.
In the following hours, Mrs Williams complained of a swollen and painful neck, her heart rate dropped and she had trouble breathing.
As her condition deteriorated, she was seen by various doctors and transferred to a different ward but at 10.50pm she went into cardiac arrest and died.
During the post mortem, a 14cm by 1cm piece of tissue was found curled up in her upper airway.
Mr Balmain recorded a verdict yesterday of death as the result of a very rare complication of elective and necessary surgical procedure.
Dr Steven Booth, who was brought in to go over Mrs Williams's medical history, said: "I have never come across this particular complication before." Dr Neil Fisher added the pensioner had been seen by various consultants and received "the highest standard of care".
Mrs Williams's niece Claire Badger said: "I don't have worries about the endoscopic procedure itself, it was carried out by a competent professional.
"However I feel later on she displayed very alarming and severe symptoms that should have suggested to those that reviewed her that there was some problem with her airway."
