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Alice Sloman: Condition missed by doctors led to death | Alice Sloman: Condition missed by doctors led to death |
(about 2 hours later) | |
Doctors could have prevented a 14-year-old girl suffering a fatal heart attack after an MRI if they had diagnosed her earlier, a coroner has ruled. | Doctors could have prevented a 14-year-old girl suffering a fatal heart attack after an MRI if they had diagnosed her earlier, a coroner has ruled. |
Alice Sloman, who had an undiagnosed genetic condition, died days after the scan at Torbay Hospital last year. | Alice Sloman, who had an undiagnosed genetic condition, died days after the scan at Torbay Hospital last year. |
Avon coroner Dr Simon Fox said the decision not to seek further guidance on her genetic condition led to her "dying unexpectedly and prematurely". | Avon coroner Dr Simon Fox said the decision not to seek further guidance on her genetic condition led to her "dying unexpectedly and prematurely". |
He said the cause of death was because her "medical management was lacking". | He said the cause of death was because her "medical management was lacking". |
Alice, from Torquay, was under the care of hormone specialists from Bristol Children's Hospital, and had a condition which made her heart more than twice as big as it should have been which put her in danger when anaesthetised. | |
She was given an anaesthetic before the scan in October 2018 after becoming "extremely anxious" and "hypersensitive". | She was given an anaesthetic before the scan in October 2018 after becoming "extremely anxious" and "hypersensitive". |
Throughout her life she had been prescribed growth hormone, but her parents and doctors did not know the reason for her shortness. | Throughout her life she had been prescribed growth hormone, but her parents and doctors did not know the reason for her shortness. |
Her parents said they had repeatedly warned doctors they were concerned about a range of symptoms, including breathlessness. | Her parents said they had repeatedly warned doctors they were concerned about a range of symptoms, including breathlessness. |
Earlier in the inquest two consultant paediatricians said they were not aware Alice suffered from breathlessness and tired easily. | Earlier in the inquest two consultant paediatricians said they were not aware Alice suffered from breathlessness and tired easily. |
The coroner said four medical causes contributed to her death - mitochondrial disease, multiple organ failure, myocardial fibrosis and heart failure during the anaesthetic. | The coroner said four medical causes contributed to her death - mitochondrial disease, multiple organ failure, myocardial fibrosis and heart failure during the anaesthetic. |
Returning a narrative verdict, Dr Fox said Alice had been seen by a range of specialists over a nine-year period for her different conditions. | Returning a narrative verdict, Dr Fox said Alice had been seen by a range of specialists over a nine-year period for her different conditions. |
"But she was not referred to investigation of an underlying disorder, specifically a clinical geneticist's opinion, despite her parents requesting this on at least two separate occasions which are documented and despite such facility being readily available in Exeter," he said. | "But she was not referred to investigation of an underlying disorder, specifically a clinical geneticist's opinion, despite her parents requesting this on at least two separate occasions which are documented and despite such facility being readily available in Exeter," he said. |
"The evidence demonstrated that as a result her underlying condition, and specifically a serious cardiomyopathy, went undiagnosed resulting in her dying unexpectedly and prematurely as a result of a routine general anaesthetic." | "The evidence demonstrated that as a result her underlying condition, and specifically a serious cardiomyopathy, went undiagnosed resulting in her dying unexpectedly and prematurely as a result of a routine general anaesthetic." |
Following Alice's death, both Torbay and Bristol Children's Hospital have assisted with an independent investigation into improving shared care for similar patients. | |
Her parents Sarah and Nathan Sloman spent £25,000 to cover the legal costs of the inquest. | |
Speaking after the inquest, they said they felt "validated" by the coroner's finding and said it proved that Alice's medical care had been "severely lacking". |
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