Girl who died of sepsis could not have been saved, expert says

Coco Rose Bradford died in July 2017

Doctors could not have a saved a six-year-old girl who died of sepsis even if they had been more aggressive in their course of treatment, an independent expert has said.

Coco Rose Bradford died in 2017 at the Bristol Royal Hospital for Children.

She was initially admitted to the Royal Cornwall Hospital (RCH) with severe vomiting and diarrhoea.

An inquest sitting in Truro is considering whether a different course of treatment may have saved her life.

Coco had a rare kidney condition and was initially discharged from RCH before being readmitted the following night when her symptoms worsened on 26 July.

Blood tests showed Coco had "overwhelming sepsis" by the time she was transferred to Bristol.

Coco Bradford had a rare kidney condition

A review published in September 2018 found RCH staff "missed opportunities" in Coco's care.

Dr Yincent Tse, a consultant paediatric nephrologist, told the inquest on Thursday he did not believe Coco could have been saved.

He said there was no proven treatment for haemolytic uraemic syndrome (HUS), a rare condition that affected Coco's kidneys.

Antibiotics were not recommended, the inquest heard, because they could cause the E.coli bacteria to release its toxins, worsening the disease.

There was also a delay moving Coco from a general paediatric ward to the intensive care unit, but Dr Tse again did not believe this would have saved her life.

"Although her perfusion (blood flow to organs) wasn't very good, she eventually, after a few hours of delay, got the treatment that she needed," he said.

"But despite that, over the next few days in (intensive care) with maximum support, she continued to deteriorate."

He continued: "I think, sadly, this was going to happen."

The inquest will hear the final evidence on Friday, with Coroner Andrew Cox due to deliver his conclusions on a date yet to be set.

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