Complications of heart surgery.

[John]

After the recent death of an actor after 'complications during heart surgery' - is there any kind of investigation afterwards to find out what went wrong or is it just treated as 'one of those things'?

In the police, should someone die the IPCC are involved and I wondered if there was something similar.

 

[renault12ts]

Yes, they will find out exactly what the cause was...and if any blame is attributable. But, things do go wrong.

My uncle operated on my former FIL...he did well after the op...but a clot caused a stroke...just one of those things...a side effect of surgery.

 

[DSM10000]

There will be an internal review and audit, there may or may not be a full post mortem depending on the presenting morbidty / co-morbidities.

 

[malluboy77]

Any surgery or intervention comes with risks attached. There should be mortality and morbidity meetings in all surgical units. These cases are discussed and acted upon. Complications do occur from time to time. Whilst most of these are just unfortunate events, rarely some are due to faulty decision making or a procedure at individual level. Sometimes when things go wrong, it is often a series of events rather than one single operator or decision making at fault.

The current NHS is among one of the most transparent healthcare systems in the world.

 

[KillerHERTZ]

Do we really need threads like this on a Car forum?

For all we know, there could be members on here which had experienced similar to a family member who when visit a car forum dont need reminding.

 

[LTD]

Do we really need threads like this on a Car forum?

I think we do.

As long as the debate is open, honest and structured without personal insults, unfounded generalisms or flaming/trolling then healthy debate should be encouraged.

After all, the vast majority of us are learned adults with a wealth of knowledge and experience in life and business. Most of which is not directly related to cars.

It's a community, not a library IMO.

 

[DSM10000]

Do we really need threads like this on a Car forum?

For all we know, there could be members on here which had experienced similar to a family member who when visit a car forum dont need reminding.

Why not? the case in question has achieved high coverage in the media. I really think that the people posting here (who by definition are a sample of the UK population) can discuss such matters openly, hence the use of an "Off topic " section.

 

[Riverside Red]

I have no problem with the thread after having a heart attack in late 2011, and a triple bypass in 2012. Sure there are risks with complications and these were explained before I had the surgery, however I did everything to give myself the best chance of success and feel 100% fit now.

I also think its an issue to discuss as some people after heart surgery still fear another heart attack, however most of the feelings you have left in your chest are due to surgery and not your heart. If anyone with any fears or concerns ever wants to discuss the surgery please contact me.

RR

 

[grober]

The current NHS is among one of the most transparent healthcare systems in the world.

Not in Mid Staffordshire General Hospitals NHS Trust from 2005-2008 it wasn't. They are in the process of watering down the recommendations of the Francis enquiry as we speak. The man who ran the Trust during these years is now running the entire NHS. If the man in charge while hundreds of people died "on his watch" won't hold up his hands who will?

And what's going on at Leeds General Infirmary paediatric heart surgery unit when NHS medical director Sir Bruce Keogh suspends surgery on the recommendation of Professor Sir Roger Boyle, director of the National Institute of Clinical Outcomes Research? Is this another Bristol Royal Infirmary BBC NEWS | Health | 'Up to 100 babies died needlessly' or part of a costing cutting/ centralisation exercise? ----- I'm afraid transparency isn't the first word that comes to mind on this particular issue .

 

[Riverside Red]

Totally agree that the medical profession is a closed shop, nurses won't "whistle blow" on others or doctors, nor doctors on others either........I'm a health and safety manager and the biggest challenge is changing people's behaviour, the medical profession has an old school culture and until this culture and the behaviour's behind it change, then more failures in the NHS will happen.

Same failures occur in the police service too........

RR

 

[malluboy77]

It is certainly transparent to compared to many other healthcare systems in the world. Every healthcare organisation is a business organisation running services with limited resources. There would be corporate business matters which would be difficult to disclose.

 

[Palfrem]

I'm with Red

Triple bypass in 2011- still here and working full time!

Long may it continue!

They explained the risks to me very well indeed. My heart was quite badly damaged and I was an "elevated risk" patient. Realistically though, you have nothing to loose and have to completely trust the experts. I came home 5 days post surgery.

The NHS is generally very good indeed - the cardiac team at the QE in Birmingham especially so.

 

[davidmi]

A colleague of my wife followed the actor Richard Griffiths a day or two later through the coronary unit at University Hospital, Coventry although he knew nothing of him until after his own bypass and the news came out. When we visited him we were very impressed by the cleanliness of the ward, the spaciousness compared to other hospitals and the general helpfulness of the staff. The colleague had gone to another hospital for a stent insertion but was instead immediately referred on to Coventry so full marks to the NHS for picking up on a potentially more serious problem. I can believe there is an element of postcode lottery, however, as a winter of visiting friends in different hospitals from Birmingham down to Oxford has highlighted how they can vary in their superficial appearance at least.