A seven-year-old girl died of liver failure just days after bungling doctors discharged her from hospital – even though her lips were BLUE, an inquest has heard.
Simran Dhesi was vomiting and complaining of abdominal pain when she was admitted to Sandwell General Hospital, West Mids., on September 7, 2010.
Despite having blue lips – a tell-tale sign of liver failure – a female doctor said she was “fine” and let her go home.
But the schoolgirl, who had been through a heart operation just before her sixth birthday, was rushed back to the same hospital just two days later.
Doctors discovered she had liver failure and she was rushed to Leicester Royal Infirmary for emergency surgery.
But tragically, Simran died of cardiac failure during the operation to drain fluid from her abdomen on September 10, 2010.
On Monday, mum Tarlochan Dhesi told the inquest a doctor dismissed her claims about Simran’s lips being blue and said it was because of the COLD.
In a statement which was read out at the hearing at Smethwick Council House, she said: “A lady doctor (at Sandwell General Hospital) checked Simran.
“She tested her urine, she took blood from Simran’s finger and she said Simran was okay.
“I asked the lady doctor to check Simran’s stomach. She moved her stomach this way and that way and said it was fine.
“I asked her why her stomach was so hard. She said it was fine.
“I asked about Simran’s lips being blue and she said it was because it was cold.”
The inquest heard Tarlochan took Simran to her GP the day after she was discharged from Sandwell General Hospital when her condition worsened.
She was rushed back to the same hospital on September 9, 2010 where doctors realised she had liver failure and fluid in her abdomen.
Medics decided Simran needed a surgical review and transferred her to Leicester Royal Infirmary where she underwent an emergency operation.
But during the surgery to drain the fluid, the schoolgirl went into cardiac arrest and died.
Dr Rajesh Pandey, who saw Simran and her mum in A&E when she was rushed back on Sandwell General Hospital on September 9 told the inquest: “She looked pale and she was breathing very fast.
“Her extremities were cold.”
Dr Claire Bowen told the hearing Simran’s death was caused by cardiac and liver failures – but the female doctor who first saw her at Sandwell General Hospital was not present at the inquest.
The hearing continues.