Patient may have stayed alive longer in intensive care, inquest hears
A hospital consultant who assessed a woman just before she died has said he was 'surprised' her deterioration fell so rapidly, an inquest has heard.
A three-day inquest into the death of Hilda Seagrave from Wolverhampton is taking place at Sandwell Coroners' Court in Smethwick Council House.
Mrs Seagrave died at the age of 74 on Sunday, June 26 2011 after she was admitted to New Cross Hospital in Wolverhampton suffering from a fall while cleaning in her home.
Her family were then told her condition had rapidly deteriorated overnight and she had suffered cardiac arrest.
But the inquest heard how just weeks before she suffered the fall while dusting, Mrs Seagrave was admitted to the same hospital diagnosed with a clotting disorder which was having a major affect on her lungs and heart.
Staff at the hospital advised that she would require a constant oxygen supply to treat the condition. She was discharged with a 24 hour oxygen supply.
But on June 25, Mrs Seagrave was rushed back to the hospital, feeling paralysed with a spinal injury and a bang to her head from the fall while cleaning.
Giving evidence Dr Osmond Thomas, a consultant at New Cross since 2003, told Black Country Coroner Zafar Siddique he saw Mrs Seagrave on June 25.
Dr Thomas said: "I remember first seeing Mrs Seagrave and it was about 4 or 5pm on the Saturday as it was still light in the day.
"I was not told anything of her condition deteriorating so much so on the Sunday when she died it was a surprise to me.
"Given the fact I examined her on the Saturday I didn't think her condition would change so quickly the way it had done."
However, in hindsight Dr Thomas said Mrs Seagrave may have stayed alive longer if there was more frequent monitoring after his shift was complete and if a decision was taken to put her into intensive care at an earlier stage.
But another witness Dr Simon Bourne, an independent consultant and witness who helped West Midlands Police with their investigation, said it was found Mrs Seagrave's oxygen levels had slipped from 94 per cent to 79 per cent.
"Oxygen levels should stay at around the 94 per cent, 95 per cent mark, so the drop to 79 per cent is a significant one," he said
Dr Bourne said he believed the drop of oxygen levels caused her cardiac arrest on June 26.
The inquest continues.
