Hearing finds doctor guilty of misconduct

Senior NHS gynaecologist could be struck off after involvement in birth of baby which ended in tragedy

A senior doctor who caused an unborn baby to be accidentally decapitated inside her mother’s womb during a botched delivery was found guilty of medical misconduct yesterday.

A professional tribunal ruled Dr Vaishnavy Laxman should have performed an emergency Caesarean section instead of attempting a natural delivery.

Tragedy struck at Ninewells Hospital in March 2014 when the 43-year-old was summoned to help with the birth.

The NHS gynaecologist had been in the hospital for all but five hours of a 24-hour period.

The Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service in Manchester ruled Dr Laxman “had not sufficiently addressed in her mind the risk to “Baby B” by attempting delivery as she did.

“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 ruling added.

Earlier in the hearing, Dr Laxman had apologised for her actions but was told directly by the woman: “I don’t forgive you”.

Dr Laxman will now face further hearings which will decide whether she is to be struck off.

A senior NHS gynaecologist could be struck off after causing an unborn baby to be decapitated inside the mother’s womb.

Dr Vaishnavy Laxman, 43, was found guilty of medical misconduct after a tribunal ruled she should have given the 30-year-old patient an emergency Caesarean section as the premature infant was in a breech position.

But she instead attempted to carry out the delivery naturally and tragedy struck when the doctor 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 the womb.

The tragedy occurred on March 16 2014 while Laxman was working at Ninewells Hospital in Dundee with a team of other doctors.

Two other doctors subsequently carried out a C-section on the woman to remove the infant’s head. It was “reattached” to his body so his mother could hold him before she said goodbye.

It is believed the child was already dead before he was decapitated during 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 section been carried out.

But at a finding of facts hearing panel chairman Tim Bradbury 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.

“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 C-section under general anaesthetic was clinically indicated or whether the only proper course in the circumstances would have been to proceed to immediate C-section.

“The decision to proceed with vaginal delivery represented a failure in her clinical decision-making on the evidence available to her at the time.’’

Laxman will now face further disciplinary hearings which will decide whether she could be struck off.

Dr Vaishnavy Laxman.

Dr Vaishnavy Laxman, 43, was found guilty of medical misconduct.