A PREGNANT diabetic woman who died when complications during birth left her in a coma, went into septic shock more than 24 hours after doctors were advised to remove the source of infection, Dublin Coroner’s Court has heard.
Doctors at the National Maternity Hospital in Holles Street, Dublin had been advised that 35-year-old Jennifer Crean’s central line was the likely source of infection but treated her with antibiotics and opted to wait rather than remove it. They carried out an emergency Caesarean section when her condition suddenly deteriorated during which she suffered a cardiac arrest.
Ms Crean, a mother of two, was diabetic but had a rare resistance to insulin injections. A central line had been installed at St Vincent’s hospital by consultant anaesthetist Alan McShane for direct delivery of insulin. She was 34 weeks’ pregnant when she presented at Holles Street on June 28th, 2008, complaining of abdominal pain and sweating profusely.
Dr Caoimhe Lynch, specialist registrar at Holles Street, said on July 1st she contacted Mr McShane and he advised her the central line should be removed.
Earlier, Ms Crean’s husband, Francis, said he and his wife had repeatedly insisted that the central line was prone to infection and should be changed. Following discussions involving a number of consultants at Holles Street, it was decided the line should remain in place until an alternative point of access for the insulin could be secured. The central line infection was confirmed the following day and Ms Crean seemed to have improved overnight, said Dr Lynch. She suddenly went into septic shock in the afternoon and the emergency Caesarean section was ordered.
Consultant anaesthetist Dr Ola Rosaeg told the court Ms Crean had a coughing fit and this closed off her airway. The general anaesthetic was immediately administered and she went into cardiac arrest.
She was revived following intensive CPR carried out as the obstetrics team delivered the baby. The child remained at Holles Street where he was monitored for possible sepsis while she was taken to intensive care at Beaumont Hospital. She was later transferred to St Vincent’s hospital where she died on February 10th, 2009.
The inquest was adjourned until April.