Hickman line pneumothorax

Following the insertion of a “Hickman’ type tunneled silastic catheter a patient developed a pneumothorax which contributed to his death. Black Country coroner Robin Balmain, sitting in Walsall, ruled Mr Shakespeare died of natural causes, however, the family has promised to take legal action.

Mr Balmain said: “I’m perfectly satisfied Mr Shakespeare had excellent care at the hospital – clearly he was very ill. My verdict is that he died of natural causes, contributed to by a known, if rare, complication of this elective surgical procedure.”

Victoria Blankstone, the Shakespeare family solicitor from Birmingham law firm Irwin Mitchell, said: “We believe there were significant failings – in particular the decisions to send Alan home while he still had both a chest infection and MRSA and then, when he was readmitted, to insert a Hickman line that inadvertently penetrated his right lung resulting in a pneumothorax”.

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