Premature baby born two months early ‘died of sepsis after medics inserted catheter into the WRONG part of his tiny body’

• James Barnes developed sepsis after fluid was pumped into the wrong place
• The baby, who was born prematurely at 32 weeks, died just six days after birth
• Medics found that the umbilical catheter was incorrectly placed in his stomach
• It was removed 48 hours later by staff at the Medway Maritime Hospital in Essex

Parents Michael and Gennane Barnes arrive at the coroners office in Woodvale, Brighton today

A baby died after a catheter was wrongly inserted into his stomach by hospital staff, an inquest heard.

James Barnes developed sepsis after nutritional fluid was pumped into the wrong area of his tiny body.

James, who was born prematurely at 32 weeks, died just six days after his birth when sepsis set in.

Medics found the umbilical veinous catheter which was meant to help his condition had been wrongly inserted into his abdomen.

The catheter was inserted by staff working at the neonatal unit at the Medway Maritime Hospital in Essex on April 24 last year. 

It was removed 48 hours later but by then the condition if the baby had deteriorated rapidly.

A decision was taken to transfer him 50 miles away to the Royal Sussex Hospital in Brighton but he died shortly after arrival.

Coroner Veronica Hamilton-Deeley slammed hospital bosses for failing to follow strict guidelines when inserting a catheter.

‘Protocols and procedures were not being carried out properly,’ she said. ‘That is very serious.’

An inquest at Brighton Coroner’s Court heard James Barnes was born at Darent Valley Hospital in Dartford, Kent on April 22.

He was born at just 32 weeks gestation and was generally healthy though he was suffering breathing difficulties.

Genanne and Micheal Barnes said they were ‘relieved’ that it was finally over and concurred with the coroner’s findings

Due to his prematurity his lungs had not properly developed and he was placed on a ventilator to help him breathe.

The following day he was transferred to the Medway Maritime Hospital in Gillingham – 15 miles away.

James Barnes was admitted to the hospital’s neonatal unit where he was treated by specialist staff.

Doctors inserted a umbilical veinous catheter (UVC) that can be used to infuse sick babies with nutrition and antibiotics

However the inquest heard it was incorrectly placed in his abdomen before liquid was infused.

His condition quickly began to deteriorate and and doctors ordered a review which included an x-ray.

Doctor Parshanth Bhat arrives for the inquest in Woodvale, Brighton earlier today

Doctor Prashanth Bhat (left, wearing glasses) and Pathologist Andreas Marnerides outside the inquest in Brighton earlier today

During the x-ray medics spotted the catheter was placed in the wrong position is his abdomen.

The catheter was removed but when his condition worsened further they felt he may be suffering from a perforated bowel.

His condition became critical and doctors feared he was so poorly he might not survive the journey.

Dr Andreas Marnersides, a pathologist, said he found haemorrhagic bleeding around the liver which could have been the result of an injury caused by the catheter.

He said: ‘This child was doing well until the UVC was introduced and then began to deteriorate very rapidly so I took the view that it was more likely because of the insertion of the UVC.’

Dr Prasanth Bhat, a neonatal consultant at the Royal Sussex, told the inquest he was ‘a very high risk transfer’ because he was so unwell and could die.

The inquest heard inserting a UVC was especially difficult because premature babies are very small.

Dr Bhat said: ‘UVCs are notoriously bad for being misplaced, either they are too far or too near the heart.

‘Getting that in an accurate position is very difficult because you can be too far in or too far below.’

Despite his condition the baby was transferred to the Royal Sussex Hospital in Brighton 50 miles away.

On arrival at around 5pm on April 27 he was found to be too unwell for surgery. Staff made him as comfortable as they could and he died just after midnight on April 28.    

Dr Ghada Ramadan, a consultant paediatrician at Medway, said: ‘There was a line crossing the upper part of the abdomen that was veering to the left side, that looked quite odd.’

Her colleague Dr Helen McElroy, a consultant paediatrician, said the junior doctors working at the neonatal unit knew the line ‘wasn’t quite right but it didn’t scream out to them.’ 

James’ mother Genanne Barnes told the inquest: ‘We were told there was a very slim chance he would make it.’

His father Michael Barnes: ‘We were told there was nothing more that could be done at Medway However when he arrived he was too ill to be operated on and died just hours later in April 28.’

Dr Andreas Marnersides, a pathologist, said he found haemorrhagic bleeding around the liver which could have been the result of an injury caused by the catheter. 

He said: ‘This child was doing well until the UVC was introduced and then began to deteriorate very rapidly so I took the view that it was more likely because of the insertion of the UVC.’ 

After the inquest Mr and Mrs Barnes said it was a ‘relief’ that it was finally over and concurred with the coroner’s findings. 

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