Baby died after doctors cut head open during caesarean delivery

A baby died after doctors made a two-inch cut into his scalp during an emergency delivery.

Carson Allen died from a haemorrhage three hours after he was born during a caesarean at Nottingham City Hospital in July 2013.

An inquest into his premature death a year later ruled it was accidental.

The court heard during the caesarean, doctors pierced a soft part of Carson’s skull while cutting into the wall of his mum’s womb with a scalpel.

However, after a four year battle to get answers, the hospital has now admitted to ‘shortfalls’ in the care of the baby.

Mum Claire Smith, 41, of Top Valley, has been pushing for information from Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust (NUH), which runs the hospital, since the incident.

Claire and her partner Scott Allen, 42, initially blamed themselves for their son’s death.

Despite their heartache, the couple decided to fight for justice and compensation from the hospital.

The case – supported by Nelsons Solicitors – was finally concluded in December and ended in an undisclosed settlement for the family.

Claire said the apology from the hospital is what she ‘desperately needed’, but it ‘hasn’t brought her closure’.

The carer said: ‘I have been put through hell fighting for the reassurance that I could not have prevented Carson’s death.

‘It isn’t closure and the heartbreak will never end but it has given me peace of mind knowing my baby boy’s death was not my fault.

‘I’m constantly talking about Carson. I go to the cemetery twice a day, every day. It’s important to keep his memory alive. He was only here for a short amount of time but he will forever be in my heart.

‘My message to others out there would be to trust your instincts. It’s why I fought the case – I did this for other babies, parents and families to ensure no one else has to lose something so precious in such a traumatic
way.’

Claire, who also has an 18-year-old son and 22-year-old daughter, only found out she was pregnant at 27 weeks in June 2013.

In October 2011, she had a procedure which is known to cause complications if a woman is to become pregnant again.

The operation she had should have alerted doctors to this being a high-risk pregnancy. But the inquest heard there were several missed opportunities to check Claire’s medical records properly.

NUH has accepted that Claire was not properly advised of the risks involved with a pregnancy and this procedure.

Head of service for obstetrics and gynaecology at the trust Dr Lucy Kean said: ‘We reiterate the trust’s condolences to the family on the death of their son, Carson, and apologise for the shortfalls in our care, mindful
that no words or amount of money can undo the harm and distress the family have experienced as a result of this case.’

After Carson was born, he was treated in intensive care and given oxygen for his underdeveloped lungs, while doctors fought to stop the bleeding.

Recalling her heart-breaking journey, Claire said: ‘I found the inquest very difficult and have spent the past four years thinking this was my fault.

‘I thought the cut on Carson’s head was because of the procedure I had in 2011 – it wasn’t until the result of the post-mortem that I found out it was caused by a scalpel.

‘From start to finish, my care was absolutely horrendous.

‘For Carson’s life to end in the way it did is unacceptable. During my C-section, the doctor cut my baby’s head so deeply that he died.

‘I am a good mum and the chance to be a mum to Carson was taken away from me.

‘It has been the worst experience of my life and I doubt my family will ever get over our loss.

‘I hope that others don’t have to lose something so precious in such a traumatic way.’

At 30 weeks into her pregnancy, Claire’s waters broke and she spent five days in hospital, but was then discharged.

But at 33 weeks, she started to go into labour and doctors at the City Hospital declared an emergency Caesarean section was the only option.

Baishali Clayton, expert clinical negligence solicitor at Nelsons Solicitors, acted on behalf of Claire at both the inquest and the claim submitted against the hospital.

She said: ‘I am delighted that Miss Smith has received the apology she so desperately deserved. She has spent the past four years thinking Carson’s death was her fault, and hopefully this outcome will give her peace of mind and reassurance that it was not.

Source: Metro UK