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Doctors failed to spot OAP’s gaping bedsore
Emilene White28/ 3/2007
DOCTORS twice failed to notice a bedsore so deep it exposed a 93-year-old's backbone.
Pathologist Paul Dickens said it must have been on Edith Whitworth's lower back for "a considerable period of time", an inquest heard.
Yet two doctors in A&E, care home staff and a GP missed the 8cm ulcer.
Mrs Whitworth, who had mild dementia, died of heart failure on 28 October at Tameside Hospital.
She had been admitted after breaking her leg in two places and one of the bones in her back in a fall at the Fir Trees Centre, Dukinfield.
Mr Dickens said the fractures and bed sores - she had two more on her leg measuring 4cm and 7cm - contributed to her death.
He added: "It (the sore on her back) would have been there a considerable period of time, several weeks."
On two separate admissions on 30 September and 2 October, junior doctors examined Mrs Whitworth's spine, but saw nothing except bruising.
Despite regular checkups, her GP Dr Siong Lee also saw nothing amiss. It was only the day after her second hospital admission that the sore was finally spotted and treated.
Coroner John Pollard asked orthopaedic surgeon Bisalahalli Maddu if he was concerned about the "observational qualities" of his junior doctors.
Mr Maddu replied he was, but pointed out they were working under pressure towards "unreasonable targets".
Mr Pollard said he would write to the hospital chief executive and added: "I find it incredible that two A&E doctors can tell me on oath they did not see a sacral sore that was clearly there on admission."
A hospital spokesman said: "Whilst it is clear that the sacral sore was present at A&E, the doctors in the department may not have noted it as they were concentrating upon her presenting complaint i.e. that of a fall and bruising to her back. Any failure to note the sacral sore in the A&E medical records played no part in this patient's death."
Verdict: accidental death.
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10/04/2007 at 20:56