Woman died following routine procedure - inquest

A woman died at her home following a routine procedure after "a number of missed opportunities" to properly diagnose her, an inquest heard.

Louise Schilt, 34, who had the procedure to relieve symptoms of a heart condition, faced a delay of more than seven months for a cardiac MRI to make sure she had the proper treatment.

She was found dead by her parents Caroline and Bob at their home in Brighton in April 2023 after they had visited the grave of their son Jacob, who died in the Shoreham Airshow disaster in 2015.

University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust's chief medical officer said changes had been made that "significantly" reduced waiting times for treatments.

Professor Katie Urch said that the time it took for Miss Schilt to receive a specialist MRI scan was "not acceptable".

Weeks after her death, Miss Schilt was still receiving calls and letters from the trust.

"I also want to apologise unreservedly for the additional distress and heartbreak caused by the administrative failings following her death – that should never have happened," the chief medical officer added.

“We have investigated her care extensively to explore all possible opportunities to improve, and then made changes which have significantly reduced waiting times for specialist investigations and treatments.”

The inquest in Horsham heard Miss Schilt had developed constrictive pericarditis, a rare condition that causes a thickening of the sac surrounding the heart, and suffered a complication when she underwent a chest drain to relieve the symptoms and died as a result.

It was thought to have been the only time in recent years that a patient at the Princess Royal Hospital in Haywards Heath had died following the procedure.

Miss Schilt's cause of death was ruled as re-expansion pulmonary oedema, a relatively rare condition which develops when a collapsed lung expands suddenly.

Senior coroner Penelope Schofield said there were "a number of missed opportunities" to escalate Miss Schilt's care before her condition worsened and she died "before she was able to be given any definitive treatment".

Ms Schofield, who was also the coroner for Jacob Schilt's death, told the parents: “I do not know how the world can be so cruel to one family.

"I can’t contemplate the grief that you must be experiencing, but I am grateful for the way you have remained so dignified during these proceedings.”

She explained that she was planning to write a letter of concern to the NHS trust.

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