Saturday June 4, 2011 at 4:16pm
Susan Ballantyne, 47, a lawyer and partner at Capsticks solicitors died on 14 November 2010 at St George’s Hospital in South London after she was given an over dose of a labour inducing drug, an inquest heard.
Mrs Ballantyne was taken to hospital after collapsing. Doctors told her that her unborn child had died in the womb, but instead of performing a caesarean section, they decided to give her the labour drug.
The mother of two was given 16 times the recommended dose of the drug.
Doctors gave her 800 micrograms of misoprostol to bring on delivery after her baby died in the womb.
The inquest heard that complications caused amniotic fluid to leak from her womb into her heart and lungs causing her vital organ failure and death.
St. George’s hospital internal protocol recommended the 800 mcg dose, but the drug was known to put patients at greater risk of tears to the uterus.
Four days before this fatal incident, the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists had recommended doses of no higher than 50mcg.
At the inquest on Thursday 2nd June, the Deputy West minster Coroner Dr Shirley Radcliffe ordered St George’s Health Care Trust to investigate what went wrong.
Recording a narrative verdict, the Coroner, Doctor Radcliffe said:
“I have grave concerns that the figure of 800 micrograms hasn’t got any scientific evidence to show where it came from.
“That is considerably higher than is currently recommended and the trust has to accept that it is likely to have a major contribution to the development of the urine tear.
“I do think it would be helpful for the trust to make inquiries as to how that figure has come to be in their protocol.”
The family of Mrs Ballantyne is considering seeking legal advice as to whether to take matters further in the light of the Coroners conclusions.