Medic may be struck off after horrif ic death of baby boy
A GYNAECOLOGIST who caused an unborn baby to be accidentally decapitated inside the mother’s womb was found guilty of medical misconduct yesterday.
Dr Vaishnavy Laxman, 43, should have given the 30-year-old patient an emergency caesarean section because the premature infant was in a breech position.
But the senior NHS doctor instead attempted to carry out the delivery naturally at Ninewells Hospital, Dundee.
However, tragedy struck when she urged the patient to push while herself applying traction to the baby’s legs. The manoeuvre caused the infant’s legs, arms and torso to become detached, leaving the head in his mother’s womb.
Two other doctors then carried out a C-section to remove the infant’s head. It was ‘re-attached’ so the mother could hold him before she said goodbye.
It is believed the child was dead before the incident involving the bungled 15-minute delivery.
At the Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service in Manchester, consultant Laxman, who qualified in Chennai, India, denied wrongdoing, saying she believed the baby would have died had a caesarean been carried out.
But at a finding of facts hearing, panel chairman Tim Bradbury said: ‘It was Dr Laxman’s decision in this regard that was to dictate her subsequent actions and the course of events which ultimately led to Baby B being decapitated.’
He said the tribunal ‘was in no doubt that throughout her involvement in the attempted delivery of Baby B she was endeavouring to achieve the best outcome for Patient A and Baby B’.
He added: ‘However, the central issue in this case is whether Dr Laxman’s decision to attempt a vaginal delivery of Baby B rather than an immediate caesarean section under general anaesthetic was clinically indicated or whether the only proper course in the circumstances would have been to proceed to an immediate caesarean section.
‘Dr Laxman had not sufficiently addressed in her mind the risk to Baby B by proceeding with a vaginal delivery – namely the risk of head entrapment and the delay this complication would inevitably cause.
‘Further, the tribunal found she embarked upon a vaginal delivery without a proper basis for concluding a delivery was imminent.
‘The tribunal did not accept that the circumstances were such that Dr Laxman should have assumed that a caesarean section would have no prospect of success.’
He said the tribunal had determined that there was ‘a reasonable
‘Hadn’t sufficiently addressed the risk’
prospect’ that Baby B could have survived following an immediate caesarean section under general anaesthetic.
He added: ‘The decision to proceed with vaginal delivery represented a failure in her clinical decision-making on the evidence available to her at the time.’
The tragedy occurred on March 16, 2014, while Laxman was working with a team of other doctors.
The woman’s waters had broken early at 25 weeks and her unborn baby was found to have a prolapsed cord and was in a breech position. Laxman had started work at 8.30am the previous day and went home at 6pm for five hours before returning at 11pm.
She was told about the patient at 2am and was paged at 8.30am to take a look at her when her condition became more critical.
Laxman, who has been able to practise under supervision but no longer works at Ninewells, will face further disciplinary hearings and could be struck off.
She told the hearing: ‘I did not intend to harm mum or the baby. I am distraught at the outcome and I am very sorry it did not come out the way I meant it.’
A spokesman for NHS Tayside said: ‘Dr Laxman is no longer employed by NHS Tayside.
‘We have very robust processes and procedures in place when any serious adverse event occurs to ensure any learning is captured and improvements made.
‘Our thoughts remain with the family at this difficult time.’