Family 'undermined' after dad's sudden death

Karl Lee, who died in November 2020, had suffered life-changing injuries when he was hit by a taxi in 2008

A neurosurgical consultant has apologised for mistakes he made in a statement about the sudden death of a 32-year-old father, an inquest has heard.

Karl Lee - who relied on a fitted pump which administered a relaxant called baclofen to manage spasms after he was hit by a car in 2008 - died at the Queen's Medical Centre (QMC), in Nottingham, on 18 November 2020.

His family said they raised concerns he might be suffering from a baclofen withdrawal, but were "repeatedly" told his pump was checked and working properly.

On Thursday, Surajit Basu - whose neurosurgical team Mr Lee was under the care of - told an inquest into his death that was a mistake and, in fact, his pump was not checked.

"I'm embarrassed - I'm sorry. I can't tell you how sorry I am," Mr Basu said.

Mr Lee was admitted to hospital on 16 November 2020 with persistent "jerking" movements of his body, a high heart rate, delusions and he was sweating.

He was initially treated for suspected sepsis, before he suffered a sudden cardiac arrest and died two days later.

The inquest at Nottingham Coroner's Court - which is hearing evidence from Nottingham University Hospitals (NUH) NHS Trust - has been exploring the medical cause of his death and whether baclofen withdrawal could have led to the outcome.

'Family was undermined'

Following Mr Lee's death, a statement sent to the coroner said his pump was checked and it was initially concluded an inquest was not required.

Assistant coroner Elizabeth Didcock said on Thursday, there had been "significant misinformation" throughout the proceedings.

She told Mr Basu "the family has been undermined and so has the coronial process".

Mr Basu told the inquest he mistakenly believed Mr Lee's pump had been checked and identified his mistake "a few months" after his death.

However, during a meeting with Mr Lee's family in June 2022, he told them the pump had been functioning well for the duration of his hospital admission in 2020.

Mr Basu said he understood it was a "key mistake" but could not explain it.

Mr Lee's family told the inquest they had waited five years for answers about what happened to him.

Mr Lee was cared for by his family in the years after he was hit by a car

Mr Lee was registered disabled after he was hit by a car in 2008, which left damage to his knee and led to a diagnosis of a chronic pain condition called complex regional pain syndrome.

He continued to suffer from pain and spasms and was subsequently fitted with a intrathecal baclofen pump (ITB) - which delivered the relaxant into his spinal fluid and had to be periodically refilled.

Mr Lee had his right leg amputated above the knee in 2013.

The inquest heard he continued to suffer from spasms and pain but his family said he had "never presented" the way he did in the days before his death.

Earlier, the inquest heard from a pathologist, who said he "mistakenly" recorded Mr Lee's cause of death as sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP).

Mr Lee was diagnosed with epilepsy as a child but had not experienced a seizure since he was 13.

The pathologist, Prof Ian Ellis said he believed "on the balance of probability", he had suffered baclofen withdrawal.

The inquest also heard from Dr Monika Radzka, who was involved in Mr Lee's care during his hospital admission and said baclofen withdrawal was "considered" by a doctor but not "suspected".

The inquest continues.