A British-Indian doctor was subjected to a botched treatment for haemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis which led to his death. He was not given a chance to give his informed consent to it. In August 2021, Patel was admitted to the hospital with suspected HLH himself and died weeks later in October. Read on to know more about the condition.
British-Indian Doctor Dies After Botched Treatment For Haemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis
A British-Indian doctor was subjected to a botched treatment without being given a chance to give his informed consent to it, an inquest dating back over two years over two years revealed. Professor Amit Patel was a Manchester-based National Health Service (NHS) Consultant Haematologist and a member of the haemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) National Multi-Disciplinary Team (MDT).
In August 2021, Patel was admitted to the hospital with suspected HLH himself and died weeks later in October. The inquest was opened and adjourned for the Coroner to hear evidence from the experts involved in his care and family members, which took place in April-May this year and concluded this week.
The Manchester Coroner’s ruling says, “The deceased underwent an EBUS [endobronchial ultrasound] procedure on 2nd September 2021 following a recommendation by the national HLH MDT. This recommendation was based on an incomplete presentation of the deceased’s clinical case, and therefore should never have been made.”
The ruling also says, “Had the national HLH MDT had all relevant and readily available information presented to them, the EBUS procedure would not have gone ahead on 2nd September 2021, and the deceased would not have died on 28th October 2021. Moreover, the deceased was not given the opportunity to (and therefore did not) provide informed consent on 2nd September 2021 for his EBUS procedure. These two factors more than minimally contributed to the deceased’s death on the balance of probabilities.”
The report also says that Patel’s death was caused by failure in his care and that his death was avoidable.
What is haemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH)?
This is a condition wherein your immune system tends to overreact abnormally. When you have HLH, an infection can trigger your immune system to produce too many cells and instead of fighting the infection, the new cells tend to attack your body which makes you ill. HLH can be a life-threatening condition.
What are the types of HLH?
There are two types of HLH; Primary (familial) HLH and Secondary (acquired) HLH. The first one happens when there’s a genetic mutation. Cleveland Clinic says that one is born with a genetic predisposition to primary HLH and symptoms usually arise during the first few years of life. Secondary HLH happens when you have an underlying medical condition that affects the function of your immune system.
What are the symptoms of HLH?
The symptoms of HLH range in severity of the condition. Here, take a look at some of the common symptoms of HLH.
- Fever
- Rash
- Large liver
- Large spleen
- Enlarged lymph nodes
- Anaemia
- Thrombocytopenia
- Weakness
- Lightheadedness or dizziness
- Irritability
- Headaches
- Pale skin
- Jaundice.
Here, take a look at some of the life-threatening signs of HLH.
- Difficulty breathing
- Seizures
- Retinal haemorrhages
- Loss of consciousness
- Coma.
What are the causes of HLH?
According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, familial HLH accounts for about 25% of cases and families pass down the condition. If both parents are genetic carriers of HLH, a child has a 25% chance of having the disease, a 25% chance of not having the disease and a 50% chance of being a carrier. Conditions that cause acquired HLH are viral infections, especially Epstein-Barr virus, other infections, a weak or diseased immune system and cancer.
