A MUM died following a routine operation to fix her broken ankle after falling on a night out, an inquest heard.
Laura Griffiths, 35, a teacher from Huddersfield, died after surgery at Pinderfields Hospital in December 2019, Bradford Coroners’ Court was told.
She suffered damage to her lungs because the blood supply became blocked, a previous hearing heard.
Her parents Cath and Dennis said they believe health staff let her daughter down and are asking why a specialist trainee surgeon carried out the op instead of a consultant.
Assistant coroner Angela Brocklehurst said she had questions for the health trust about what lessons had been learned from Laura’s tragic death, YorkshireLive reports.
Laura suffered a pulmonary infarction — one of the key complications of pulmonary embolisms, which were linked to around 8,550 deaths in England in 2020/21.
Pulmonary embolisms occur when a blood clot blocks a vein or artery in the lungs and can be life-threatening if not treated quickly.
Symptoms include difficulty breathing that comes on suddenly, chest pain that gets worse when you breathe in and coughing up blood.
They often occur when a blood clot dislodges from a leg and travels up to the lungs.
If you’re being treated for another condition in hospital, medical teams should takes steps to prevent deep vein thrombosis, according to the NHS.
Pulmonary infarctions are caused when lung tissue dies because of the embolism.
The inquest heard Laura was more at risk of the complication because she had a greater risk of blood clots.
She had deep vein thrombosis in her left leg and underwent surgery to put in a plate and screws to fix the break, which happened after she fell on a night out on December 14.
The mother-of-two tragically died on December 31, a day after the surgery.
In a statement to the court, her mum described her as “determined, loyal, funny, stroppy, loving, supportive, dedicated, caring, courageous and strong”.
She said the heartbreaking death came as a huge shock to the family, who feel there had been “many missed opportunities by numerous health professionals” during her care.
The inquest continues.
What are the symptoms of a pulmonary embolism?
Symptoms of a pulmonary embolism include:
- difficulty breathing that comes on suddenly
- chest pain that’s worse when you breathe in
- coughing up blood
You may also have pain, redness and swelling in one of your legs (usually the calf).
These are symptoms of a blood clot, also called DVT (deep vein thrombosis).
Source: The NHS