Mum, 35, who fell and broke her ankle on night out died after routine operation to fix ‘minor fracture’
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, 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.
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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.
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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).
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