The grieving family of a woman ‘likely’ killed by a reaction to a dye routinely injected into patients before scans have warned patients of the risks of the diagnostic tool.
Yvonne Graham, 66, suffered a cardiac arrest minutes after medics at Northampton General Hospital injected dye — called contrast medium — ahead of a CT scan to investigate a bloated stomach.
While attempts were made to resuscitate the former butcher, she died just hours later on February 1 last year.
Ahead of an inquest into her death, an autopsy stated that Mrs Graham’s cause of death was ‘likely’ an extreme allergic reaction to the dye.
Speaking of the death, her daughter, Yolanda, 39, said she believes her mother would still be here if she’d had access to an EpiPen — a medical injector designed to save patients from life threatening allergic reactions.
She also said her mother should never have been given the dye in the first place as she had kidney disease — and it is well-known that the substance can cause damage to the organ in those who are vulnerable.
Yolanda, a hairdresser from Daventry, Northamptonshire, said: ‘It’s just such a shock. It doesn’t feel real. I still can’t get my head around it.’
Yolanda, who was outside the scan room on the day her mother died, said mere minutes after her mother went in, the doors flung back open and a team of medics rushed in.
Yvonne Graham, 66, suffered a cardiac arrest minutes after medics at Northampton General Hospital injected dye – called contrast medium – ahead of a CT scan to investigate a bloated stomach
Mrs Graham’s daughter Yolanda, 39, said she believes her mother would still be here had there been an EpiPen, a medical injector designed to save patients from life threatening allergic reactions, in the scan room
‘I heard her make a heaving noise like she was sick, then a doctor came out and was asking me her medical history — he was writing it on his hand,’ she said.
‘Surely they should have read her notes before injecting her — it’s just bad practice.
‘There was no protocol. It’s ridiculous not to have an EpiPen or a crash trolley in the room.’
According to an autopsy report, released 10 months after the death, Mrs Graham was placed on a ventilator, but no pulse was found and medical care stopped as ‘the prognosis at this stage would be extremely poor’.
She was moved to a critical care unit to allow the family to say their goodbyes.
Yolanda said her mother had been well before going into the scan room and had remarked how she was looking forward to upcoming holidays with her family.
Yolanda said her mother had been well before going into the scan room and had remarked how she was looking forward to booked holidays and quadbiking trips with her family
Julie Hogg, chief nurse at the University Hospitals of Northamptonshire, said: ‘We offer our sincere condolences to the family of Mrs Graham at this difficult time. Pictured: Northampton General Hospital where Mrs Graham was treated
‘I don’t know how this can just happen — you shouldn’t just die from a precautionary scan,’ she said.
‘People need to be told about the risks with this dye.
‘It took ten months to get a statement from them about what happened — how can it take so long?’
Contrast dye is injected into patients before a CT scan to help medics get a clearer view of the veins, arteries and internal organs and diagnose medical problems.
Ms Graham underwent the scan to check for internal problems that may have triggered the severe bloating she was experiencing.
Contrast dye is injected into patients before a CT scan to help medics get a clearer view of the veins, arteries and internal organs and diagnose medical problems. Stock image
Allergic reactions to the dye are rare.
Estimates vary, but about three per cent of patients are thought to respond badly to the dye, suffering mild problems like vomiting and rashes.
Severe life-threatening reactions called anaphylaxis, like those Ms Graham suffered, are even rarer thought to only occur between one in 2,500 and one in 10,000 patients.
Julie Hogg, chief nurse at the University Hospitals of Northamptonshire, said: ‘We offer our sincere condolences to the family of Mrs Graham at this difficult time.
‘We have worked with the coroner at pace to provide all appropriate statements required of us for the forthcoming inquest.
‘We acknowledge that we should have improved our communication with Mrs Graham’s family during this time, and we would like to apologise for any additional distress this may have caused them.
‘Our team has reached out to the family to offer support ahead of the inquest and update them on the current position’.
The NHS states: ‘Complications of a CT scan are rare. Some people can have an allergic reaction to the contrast medium (dye).
‘This can cause weakness, sweating and difficulty breathing.’
