Air Injected Into Patient’s Vein Instead Of Blood

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29232, 16 June 1960, Page 6

Air Injected Into Patient’s Vein Instead Of Blood

(New Zealand Press Association)

AUCKLAND, June 15. Evidence that air instead of blood was “inadvertently” injected into a vein of a patient under an anaesthetic at Green Lane Hospstat was given at an inquest held before the Auckland Coroner (Mr A. Addison) today. The Coroner found that the patient, Muriel Selena Rees, died at the hospital on April 25, five days after being operated on. He gave the cause of death as pericarditis and pulmonary congestion following a surgical operation. William John Watt, the anesthetist at the operation, stated that when clamps were released blood loss occurred and rapid transfusion from two intravenous drips was used to restore pressuse. “At this stage, pressure, by squeezing on a rubber bulb, was being used to increase the flow through the drips and unfortunately air entered a vein in the right arm." said the witness. “I do not know how much had gone in when this was noticed." The chest had been immediately opened and the heart found to be stopped. Air was aspirated from the heart, which was then massaged and resumed beating. The patient's condition had slowly improved. Next day it was fairly good, although the patient’s speech was rather slow and she complained of pain. Her condition deteriorated on April 24 and she died the next day.

David Simpson Cole, thoracic surgeon, said he had carried out

the operation. The pericarditis, mentioned by the pathologist in his report was an inflammation re-1 suiting from irritation or infec-l tion. This was probably the result of having to massage to heart. In his opinion the cause of death was partially the pericarditis and partially the pulmonary congestion. said the witness. The introduction of air into the vein made it necessary to open the heart, with the result, in the post-operative phase, of causing difficulty in breathing, leading finally to congestion.