Plastic in machine fatal

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32540, 25 February 1971, Page 3

Plastic in machine fatal

CN.Z. Press Association)

HAMILTON, Feb. 24.

The death of a newborn baby in the Waikato Hospital on August 6 last year from inadequate lung expansion was caused by a malfunction in resuscitation apparatus, the Hamilton Coroner (Mr A. G. Ward) found yesterday.

The dead infant, the son of Raewyn Rawiri, was bom at 1.10 a.m. and died at 1.45 a.m. the same day. Dr J. B. Cotton, an anaesthetist who attended the birth said at an inquest into the infant’s death that a piece of plastic inside a tube of the resuscitating apparatus had caused the appartus to fail, resulting in the child’s death. Asked by the Coroner if the piece of plastic could have fallen into the tube of the Wilson apparatus, Dr Cotton said it could not.

“It could have got into the apparatus only by being put there,” Dr Cotton said.

The Coroner asked Dr Cotton is he was suggesting someone could have deliberately put the plastic inside the tube.

“Yes, it could not have fallen in. The tube is too narrow,” Dr Cotton replied. Disposal problem

Asked where such a piece of plastic could have come from, Dr Cotton said it was like many that littered hospitals today. The plastic was used to cover medical instruments such as syringes and transfusion apparatus. “It keeps sterile equipment clean,” he said. “The plastic is put on at the time of sterilisation. It is an awful curse in hospitals and disposal is quite a massive undertaking.”

Dr Cotton said that he went to administer oxygen to'the child soon after birth when he saw the baby had stopped breathing. Because the plastic—which was lodged in. a

corrugated tube on the apparatus —blocked the free flow of oxygen through the system, a large amount of oxygen was directed into the baby’s lungs. “This all happened in five seconds,” said Dr Cotton. “I turned to the wall to turn on the oxygen tap and by the time I had turned back to the baby, the damage had been done.” Urgent action He disconnected the apparatus and 30 minutes later found the piece of plastic. Mr A. D. Richardson, representing the dead child’s family, asked if brain damage would have resulted if

the infant was left not breathing. Dr Cotton replied that it would. When he saw the baby had stopped breathing, he classed it as an emergency situation. “Resuscitation is normally undertaken as quickly as possible. Time taken to examine the machine would only have been at the baby’s expense.” The Coroner told Mr J. T. Dixon, representing the Waikato Hospital Board, to report the matter to the board for further investigation.

Earlier, Detective SeniorSergeant R. I. Chadwick sdid the police were unable to establish who had last cleaned the resuscitator.