Summary
Jamie Lee Poole was diagnosed required the lifesaving surgery of a kidney transplant in 2011. After the transplant she was placed on a dose of immunosuppressant to prevent rejection of the transplanted kidney. One of the known side effects of the use of the medication is that it can cause low levels of magnesium within the body.
Jamie was admitted to the Royal Stoke University Hospital on 27 June 2017 with low levels of magnesium and low calcium and was treated for correction of electrolyte disturbance. On the 28 June 2017 she was found on the floor having collapsed. It was discovered that she had significant swelling on her brain. This was caused by a lack of oxygen to the brain, which was either caused by a heart problem or a seizure, which on balance would have been caused by the low levels of magnesium. She was transferred to the intensive care unit at the Royal Stoke University, Stoke-on-Trent where she died.
Content
Coroner, Emma Serrano, concluded in the coroner's report that transplant patients are put on strong immunosuppressive medication to prevent rejection of the transplanted organ. The medication, tacrolimus in Jamie Lee Pools case, has a common known side effect of reducing magnesium levels within the body. This can be life threatening. Despite this, it is not standard practice to regularly test transplant patients magnesium levels.
Whilst the Trust providing care for Jamie Lee Poole, has now remedied this, and routinely test posttransplant patients’ for magnesium levels, this is not the case in other areas. The evidence heard was that, whether these levels were tested routinely and regularly, was very much dependant on trust area. In one area, patients may be tested routinely for this in others they would not.
Recommended Comments
Create an account or sign in to comment