Prevention of Future Deaths reports · 2018

Lindsey Tyrrell

Regulation 28 report to prevent future deaths, reference 2018-0208, written 29 Jun 2018. A coroner writes one of these when an inquest reveals a risk that could cause further deaths unless something changes.

Date of report29 Jun 2018
Reference2018-0208
DeceasedLindsey Tyrrell
CoronerAnthony Mazzag
Coroner areaManchester City
CategoryHospital Death (Clinical Procedures and medical management) related deaths
Sourcejudiciary.uk record · original PDF
Responses publishednone published

The report

Text recovered by OCR from a scanned PDF. OCR is imperfect: check anything you rely on against the source PDF. Reproduced verbatim, including the scan's own layout.

REGULATION 28: REPORT TO PREVENT FUTURE DEATHS.

| REGULATION 28 REPORT TO PREVENT FUTURE DEATHS
THIS REPORT IS BEING SENT TO:

e The Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, the Rt Honourable Jeremy
Hunt MP

e The Chief Executive of NHS England, Mr Simon Stevens

CORONER

tam Anthony Mazzag H M Assistant Coroner for the area of Manchester City

CORONER’S LEGAL POWERS

| make this report under paragraph 7, Schedule 5, of the Coroners and Justice Act 2009
and regulations 28 and 29 of the Coroners (Investigations) Regulations 2013

INVESTIGATION and INQUEST

On 13! July 2017, an investigation was commenced into the death of Lindsey Tyrrell
who died at the Christie Hospital, Withington, Manchester on 3" July 2017 She was 41
years of age | concluded the Inquest on 28" June 2018

| found the following as the medical cause of death -
1a Fulminant central nervous system toxoplasmosis
1b Immunosuppression

1c Treated B-cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia

My conclusion was -

Narrative Complications, namely an untreated infection which remained unidentified
prior to death, arising from necessary lifesaving medical treatment

4 | CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE DEATH

In November 2014, Mrs Tyrell was diagnosed with B-cell Acute Lymphoblastic
Leukaemia (‘B-ALL’) She was commenced on intensive chemotherapy which she
tolerated well She achieved complete remission of her disease and was moved to
maintenance therapy in September 2015

Unfortunately, in December 2016, it was noted that her bloods were deteriorating and
marrow investigations revealed a relapse of her B-ALL At that stage, the only prospect
for long term survival was an allogeneic stem cell transplant

Accordingly, on 24" March 2017, Mrs Tyrell underwent an unrelated donor stem cell
transplant She received appropriate immunosuppressive treatment and was therefore at
high risk of developing an infection over the next 12 months _ |

At the beginning of June 2017, Mrs Tyrell presented at the Christie Hospital with
headaches, a fever and an intermittent rash She had clearly developed an infection by
that point Investigations were carried out to identify the nature of the infection However,
no evidence of infection was found on routine blood testing She was also routinely
scanned for evidence of infection in her brain but nothing abnormal was noted

Mrs Tyrell continued to deteriorate On 21% June a lumbar puncture test was performed
but no infection was found in the cerebrospinal fluid (‘CSF’)

Over the course of 27" June to 29 June, there was a significant deterioration in Mrs
Tyrell’s condition and by 30" June, the prognosis was terminal She passed away on 3
July 2017

Following her death, the Christie Hospital reanalysed the bloods taken during the course
of Mrs Tyrell’s last admission to hospital It was found that her blood samples from 5th
June 2017 onwards tested positive for toxoplasma The CFS from 21% June was also
retested and found to be positive for toxoplasma

CORONER’S CONCERNS

During the course of the Inquest the evidence revealed matters giving rise to concern In
my opinion there ts a risk that future deaths will occur unless action Is taken In the
circumstances it is my statutory duty to report to you

The MATTERS OF CONCERN are as follows

1 | heard evidence at the Inquest that toxoplasmosis !s carried by about 30% of
the population, however, prior to Mrs Tyrell’s death testing for this infection was
not routinely carried out at the Christie Hospital on patients who had received an
allogeneic stem cell transplant and who had subsequently presented with signs
of infection | heard evidence that, following Mrs Tyrell’s death, testing for
toxoplasmosis Is now undertaken at the Christie Hospital when stem cell
transplant patients present in similar circumstances However, there was no
evidence before me as to the practice of other specialist blood cancer care units
or hospitals in similar circumstances It seems appropriate that the learning from
this incident at a local level should be shared on a nationwide basis

o

ACTION SHOULD BE TAKEN

In my opinion action should be taken to prevent future deaths and | believe you and your
organisation have the power to take such action

YOUR RESPONSE

You are under a duty to respond to this report within 56 days of the date of this report,
namely by Tuesday 28 August 2018 |, the coroner, may extend the period

Your response must contain details of action taken or proposed to be taken, setting out
the timetable for action Otherwise you must explain why no action is proposed

COPIES and PUBLICATION

| have sent a copy of my report to the Chief Coroner and to the following Interested
Persons -

¢ ERs Tyrel's wite
| have also sent it to organisations who may find it useful or of interest -
e The Christie Hospital, Withington, Manchester
e The British Society of Blood and Marrow Transplantation
| am also under a duty to send the Chief Coroner a copy of your response
The Chief Coroner may publish either or both in a complete or redacted or summary
form He may send a copy of this report to any person who he believes may find it useful

or of interest You may make representations to me, the coroner, at the time of your
response, about the release or the publication of your response by the Chief Coroner

Mr Anthony Mazzag

Ar.

29" June 2018

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