OAP DEVELOPED A FATAL BLOOD CLOT FOLLOWING SUCCESSFUL OP
But coroner flags up gaps with cancer patient’s medication
GREAT-GRAN Margaret Finney died from a blood clot she developed after surgery to remove a cancerous tumour.
The 75-year-old, known as Jill, was diagnosed with cancer in March last year and – after having radiotherapy and chemotherapy to shrink the tumour – had an operation to remove it in August.
The surgery went well and Mrs Finney, of Rough Close, was allowed to go home. But she continued to be unwell and died at the Royal Stoke University Hospital on September 23, 2019, after collapsing at home.
An inquest was held to investigate whether all possible steps had been taken to prevent a blood clot – a common complication of surgery.
In a statement, Mrs Finney’s daughter Nicole Johnson said her mother was discharged from the Royal Stoke on September 3, but readmitted on September 9 after she was unwell.
Mrs Finney, who was Type 2 diabetic, then went home again on September 12, but was back in hospital on September 20 until September 22.
Mrs Johnson said: “After surgery she was not eating well. She became dehydrated. She struggled to control her blood sugar levels.
“On September 22 she was discharged home and seemed to be doing well. She had something to eat and showered, and seemed positive.
“However, in the early hours of September 23 she deteriorated. She collapsed on my father, saying she had stomach pains.”
A post-mortem exam revealed she died from a pulmonary embolism resulting from deep vein thrombosis in her calf.
Royal Stoke consultant Veerabhadram Garimella gave evidence regarding Mrs Finney’s treatment.
He said she was provided with TED (anti-embolism) stockings, given advice and prescribed blood thinning medication to try to prevent a blood clot developing.
The court heard there were two occasions when, due to her movements in and out of hospital, Mrs Finney missed doses of her medication, but Mr Garimella said this would not have had a significant effect on the formation of the clot.
Assistant coroner Sarah Murphy said, despite this, she intended to write to the Royal Stoke regarding the gaps in medication.
Concluding that Mrs Finney died as a result of complications of surgery, she said: “Mrs Finney had been provided with appropriate anticoagulant medication and shown how to administer it. She was given TED stockings.
“I am going to write a letter of concern to the hospital to flag up the fact that on those two occasions the medication was not administered, so they can review their procedures to ensure this does not happen again.
“We have heard that a high risk factor for surgery is developing a deep vein thrombosis and embolism.
“Mrs Finney was placed in a very difficult position.
“She could have refused surgery in the knowledge that the tumour would have grown, or she had the chance of having the tumour removed in the hope that would have been curative.
“She had surgery because she wanted to maximise her chances of living.”