|
|
 |
| |
Andras Toth outside court |
Inquest hears baby death tragedy
Parents threaten to sue after failed vacuum delivery at Hampstead hospital
A NEWBORN baby died after he was delivered using a vacuum method at a Hampstead hospital, an inquest has heard.
Adrienne Both and Andras Toth hope to bring legal proceedings in the wake of the tragedy at the Royal Free hospital.
Their son Almos died in December 2006, one day after a doctor training to be a specialist attempted to deliver him with a Ventouse Cup without consulting an expert. The child suffered a swelling which experts admit may have been caused by the vacuum cup, used after Almos became stuck in the birthing canal.
Since his death, the hospital in Pond Street has changed its guidelines involving assisted delivery births.
At St Pancras Coroner’s Court on Tuesday, doctors acknowledged that Ms Both had been in labour for three days and had not been given an epidural because midwives were “terribly busy”.
Coroner Dr Andrew Reid ruled that Almos died “as a result of
an accidental adverse healthcare event”.
He said he sustained a “subaponeurotic haemorrhage”, commonly known as a blood clot, caused by “complications of his delivery by Ventouse”.
Dr Reid said it was “extremely sad and distressing” for both Almos’s parents, who live near Kenwood House in Winnington Road, Hampstead, and for the doctors.
Dr Mihraban Bapir, the doctor involved, told the inquest she was confident that nothing would go wrong when she decided to use the cup.
She said: “I was 100 per cent sure – but if I had thought about it I would have informed my senior registrar.”
Mr Toth asked her across the courtroom: “If you were in the same position, would you do the same thing now?”
Dr Bapir replied: “I have all the respect for you and, of course, it was difficult on you. It was difficult personally for me as well. I worked for five years and never had such a complication. Whether I’d do the same thing again – it was unfortunate what happened that night. I never intended to cause harm and I use all my clinical judgment when I put that cup on any baby’s head.”
Dr Khaled Zaedi, a maternity specialist at the Royal Free, said: “Mum was in excruciating pain. That’s why the baby was in distress as well.
“The guidelines are clear: We should inform senior colleagues. However, I am sympathetic with my colleague that she was confident in her abilities. This part is quite difficult for me. I know she is very competent. However, I would have preferred to be informed. It should be discussed with a senior colleague.”
Asked whether the vacuum cup caused the swelling, Dr Zaedi said “definitely there is a probability”.
He added: “I thought there was something peculiar about the swelling. It was really prominent. It was the first time I’d seen [something like] it.”
Almos was eventually delivered by a caesarian but died the following day from the clot.
Mr Toth told the inquest: “I said I don’t want that contraption and my wife just asked if it hurt the baby. But I said three times I didn’t want that. [When Almos was delivered] he had a big lump on his head. The doctor said it was normal.”
The couple’s solicitor Dominic Fairclough said his clients were pleased that the guidelines had been changed.
“They’re satisfied there was a thorough investigation here and are satisfied with the coroner’s conclusions,” he said outside court.
“We will be taking things further. There’s already been a health directorate report into this and they’ve changed their procedure which brings a little bit of something good out of this tragedy.”
A Royal Free spokeswoman offered condolences to the parents. |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
