The 41-year-old mother of three who died on Monday following a normal delivery at the Linden Hospital Complex (LHC) suffered a blood disorder, referred to as Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation (DIC), which caused rapid blood loss and thinning eventually leading to shock and kidney failure.
This is according to the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of LHC, Dr Farouk Riyasat, who made the revelation, which he stated was his belief, during a media brief that was also attended by the Hospital’s Chief Medical Officer (CMO), Dr Romesa McDonald and Public Relations Officer Toshanna Alicock on Wednesday.
Alicock said the institution was saddened by the incident and expressed sympathy to Gill’s family, noting that the Hospital would have completed its investigation and an official report was already prepared and sent to the relevant authorities, including the Chief Medical Officer (CMO) and the Director of Regional Health Services.
She said a Pathologist from Georgetown travelled to Linden on Wednesday to conduct a post- mortem examination on the body of the now deceased woman; however, her family did not show up despite being informed. This led to the procedure being postponed.
Alicock said according to facts from the report, on first assessment by a doctor, Gill was in active labour when she arrived at the Hospital, being dilated at six centimetres (cm) and did not require a C-section.
“On assessment by the consultant, the patient had no criteria for a C- section…,” she noted. Alicock explained that Gill delivered a healthy baby boy and received the necessary drugs and blood that were needed.
“After the patient gave birth, the patient was observed to be haemorrhaging and the patient was then prepped and taken to the theatre to have a hysterectomy.”
According to the CEO, a C-section would have also been life-threatening with the blood disorder, which was only detected after the hysterectomy. He said staff also learnt that a family member of Gill also suffered from the disorder and had to have her uterus removed.
Additionally, he said they learnt that Gill, also suffered severe haemorrhaging during one of her other pregnancies. The CEO said staff only learnt this later, as he explained that specific tests were required to detect the disorder.
Gill reportedly went into hypovolemic shock (also referred to as haemorrhagic shock) and was transferred to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), where treatment was continued.
However, she went into cardio-respiratory arrest, and despite resuscitation, she died at 20:30hrs on Monday. Alicock maintains that Gill was treated by a team of expert doctors and that immediate family members were kept up to date on her condition by Dr McDonald and other members of the team throughout the process.
Prior to this incident, the LHC recorded zero maternal deaths since 2009. (Utamu Bell)
