A five-year-old girl died four days after undergoing a tonsillectomy,an inquest has heard. Amber Milnes, described as a “magical little princess” by her family, was pronounced dead at 4.37am on April 9th following a massive haemorrhage.
The inquest, ongoing as of today, centers on the circumstances surrounding Amber’s death and the decisions made regarding her discharge following the operation. The case raises questions about the details provided to parents regarding the risks associated with tonsillectomies, and the potential for post-operative complications. The outcome of the inquest could lead to changes in protocols for tonsillectomy procedures and post-operative care for children.
Amber underwent the tonsillectomy performed by Kel Anyanwu, who stated he had never previously encountered a fatality resulting from the procedure.Dr. Andrew Bamber, a consultant in paediatric and perinatal pathology, determined the cause of death to be a massive haemorrhage with aspiration of blood, surgical site infection, and enlarged tonsils. He indicated that damage to a blood vessel in Amber’s throat was likely caused by a subsequent infection, rather than during the initial surgery.
Mr. Anyanwu told the inquest that the consent form signed by Amber’s parents did not detail the risk of death, characterizing her case as “unique.” He explained the decision to discharge Amber was based on her appearing stable immediately after the operation, stating, “The assumption was that if she was fine, she will probably be ok. The decision was made later when we saw her, that she is fine, she can go.”
The 38-minute operation was described by Mr. Anyanwu as having “quiet in terms of blood loss,” and he reported not observing any active signs of infection at the time.
