A young woman has died of a heart attack due to sepsis, the BBC has revealed, following delays in diagnosing her stomach ulcer.
When 21-year old Tessa Harker attended Cumberland Infirmary in Carlisle with extreme stomach pain, she was sent home. Doctors believed that she had a stomach bug and did not give her a CT scan.
In fact, Tessa had a stomach ulcer. When the ulcer burst, Tessa was finally given a scan and underwent surgery to try to repair the damage but it was too late and, tragically, she died the following day.
The coroner has recorded death by natural causes, exacerbated by delays in treatment.
Once her ulcer had burst, bacteria would have entered her abdominal cavity leading to the development of sepsis, an overwhelming reaction by the body to an infection. Sepsis can cause multiple organ failure and, as in Tessa’s case, heart failure.
It is believed that over 10,000 people die unnecessarily from sepsis in the UK each year due to delays in diagnosis and treatment.
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If you or a loved one have suffered unnecessarily from the shocking effects of sepsis, contact Glynns Solicitors, a team of specialist medical negligence solicitors. We would be happy to advise you as to whether it would be appropriate to make a claim for compensation.
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