United kingdom Daily news: Grandmother dies after doctor misdiagnoses kidney failure as rare Indian hookworm

Grandmother dies after doctor misdiagnoses kidney failure as rare Indian hookworm

Doctor reassured grandmother's family she had hookworm and sent her home
Coroner says 'neglect' a contributory factor to her death
Doctor still working at Royal Bournemouth Hospital but GMC says his position is 'under review'

By Daily Mail Reporter

PUBLISHED: 10:04 EST, 28 June 2012 | UPDATED: 13:48 EST, 28 June 2012

Eva Hudson, died after being wrongly diagnosed at the Royal Bournemouth Hospital, Dorset

A grandmother died after an Indian doctor made a â€˜catastrophic errorâ€™ by misdiagnosing kidney failure for a poverty-related infection common in the sub-continent.

Dr Neeraj Tekkar wrongly believed Eva Hudson was suffering from hookworm when she was rushed to the Royal Bournemouth Hospital in Dorset.

Hookworm is parasitic infection of the intestines that is prevalent in underdeveloped parts of the world like southern India but is rare in Britain.

Dr Tekkar had only moved to the UK in 2009 and started working at Bournemouth Hospital in 2011.

In fact Mrs Hudson, 77, was suffering from kidney disease which Dr Tekkar did not spot and the mother-of-three and grandmother-of-five died four days later.

At an inquest into her death, a coroner recorded a verdict that Mrs Hudson died of natural causes with 'neglect a contributory factor'.

Mr Sheriff Payne, the Bournemouth coroner, added that she may have been alive today had she received proper treatment.

He said: 'He came up with a novel diagnosis that she was suffering from hookworm - he reassured the family.

Daughter Julie Sansome (left) said Dr Tekkar made a catastrophic error of judgement. Pictured with other members of Eva's family including , Mike Hudson, Sharon Brown and Dave Brown

'He effectively ignored readings that showed renal impairment. He should have got further advice on that aspect and not let her leave the hospital.

'I think she may well have been saved or lived longer if there had been more attention carried out.'

Dr Tekkar is still working at Bournemouth Hospital but his position is currently under review by the General Medical Council.

Afterwards Mrs Hudsonâ€™s daughter Julie Sansome blasted the Dr Tekkar, who qualified as a doctor in India in 2003, as well as hospital bosses.

She said: 'Dr Tekkar made a catastrophic error of judgement in misdiagnosing my mum.

'However, we feel the blame must also fall on the shoulders of the Royal Bournemouth Hospital for allowing him to be left unsupervised in a situation where he was able to make life or death decisions.'

The Royal Bournemouth Hospital in Dorset where Mrs Hudson was misdiagnosed and sent home

The Bournemouth inquest heard that Mrs Hudson, from Moordown, Bournemouth, first became unwell last October and lost two-and-a-half stones in weight.

THE SYMPTOMS OF HOOKWORM

The hookworm is a parasitic that lives in the small intestine of its host - which can vary from a human to a dog or a cat - and are thought to infect more than 600 million people worldwide.

Two species of hookworms commonly infect humans. Ancylostoma duodenale can be found in the Middle East, North Africa, India and while Necator americanus is found in the Americas, Sub-Saharan Africa, Southeast Asia, China, and Indonesia.

The worms suck blood from its host's internal walls causing anemia and loss of iron and protein in the gut.

Coughing, chest pain, wheezing, and fever will sometimes be experienced by people who have been exposed to very large numbers of hookworm larvae.

Indigestion, nausea, vomiting, constipation, and diarrhea can occur in the early stages of infection although tend to improve with time.

Hookworm is a leading cause of maternal and child morbidity in the developing countries of the tropics and subtropics.

Hookworms can cause intellectual, cognitive and growth retardation in infected children as well as prematurity and low birth weight among newborns born to infected mothers.

In developed countries, hookworm infection is rarely fatal, but anemia can be significant in a heavily infected individual.

She was taken to hospital by ambulance on December 18 when she was seen by Dr Tekkar.

He diagnosed hookworm as he suspected that Mrs Hudson could have caught it from faeces when looking after her daughterâ€™s dog.

The doctor told the inquest that he identified hookworm as 'a possible diagnosis in the absence of an obvious cause.'

He added: 'I understand it is not very common in this country.'

He then sent her home to recover, a decision later questioned by his superiors.

Dr Karim Hassan, lead consultant at Bournemouth Hospital, said: 'It is a big lesson. Any incidents of such calibre are taken very seriously.

'We have made sure that this case has been well discussed and all the lessons have been learned.'

Asked if Mrs Hudson should have been allowed home, he added: 'My clinical sense would have indicated to me to investigate further.'

Mrs Hudson was rushed back in to hospital three da ys later on December 21. She then underwent a CT scan and an emergency operation was carried out on her. She died the following day.

The cause of her death was given as complications from a strangulated hernia and kidney disease.

The GMC is due to make a decision on Dr Tekkarâ€™s position in the near future.

Mrs Hudson worked as a shop assistant and had a cleaning job. She leaves daughters Julie Sansome, Sharon Brown and son Michael and five grandchildren.