Blood clot killed former teacher

A CORONER has offered reassurance after a former art teacher died of a rare complication following surgery on a broken ankle.

Helen Williams suffered a massive clot in her lungs a month after an operation at the Royal Oldham Hospital.

The operation was to repair a damaged ankle, broken when the 18-stone 51 year old slipped while trying to avoid a muddy puddle near her Wiltshire Road, Chadderton home.

After being discharged from hospital on Christmas day 2008, she was advised to rest her leg and keep it elevated. But Miss Williams was generally immobile and started suffering shortness of breath a day later. Two days later she collapsed and died at the home she shared with flatmate and friend of 30 years, Margaret Parrett.

The cause of death was a pulmonary embolism brought about by the immobilisation, her weight being a contributory factor. The inquest was told this was a very rare, well-known risk following leg surgery.

Consultant pathologist Sami Titi said the problem could have aisen without the complication of surgery: “The most important thing is the immobilisation,” he said.

Christopher Elsworth, a consultant orthopaedic surgeon at the Royal Oldham, said: “A person who is overweight is more at risk of having a pulmonary embolism, and someone who has had surgery is even more at risk.”

Coroner Simon Nelson said:” I can only think of one or two other instances where I have come across this type of scenario. Thankfully they are rare. The last thing I would want to do is have patients fearful or worried of undergoing what is regarded as necessary surgical intervention.”

He recorded a verdict of death due to a rare but recognised complication of surgery.