Tragic Death of Five-Year-Old After Routine Surgery
A five-year-old girl, described by her heartbroken family as their 'magical little princess', died just days after undergoing a tonsillectomy, a coroner's court has heard. Amber Milnes had the procedure at the Royal Cornwall Hospital in Truro on 5 April 2023 to address sleep apnoea.
Concerns Over Discharge and Subsequent Complications
An inquest at Cornwall Coroner's Court was told that Amber's parents, Lewis and Sereta Milnes, expected their daughter to remain in hospital overnight after the operation. This was due to her cyclical vomiting syndrome, a rare condition causing her to vomit frequently. To their surprise, Amber was discharged home just hours after the surgery, around 9pm.
In the early hours of 6 April, Amber began vomiting. Her parents contacted the hospital and were advised to 'wait and see'. She vomited around 20 times throughout the day and was readmitted to the hospital at 10pm that evening.
A Fatal Turn of Events
Amber was given intravenous medication for sickness and was diagnosed with a chest infection in the early hours of 7 April. The court heard that later, her intravenous line failed, and for a period of 14 hours, she was without essential fluids, pain relief, antibiotics, or anti-sickness drugs as she could not keep down oral medication.
Tragically, at about 3am on 9 April, Amber suffered a fatal haemorrhage. Medical staff were unable to resuscitate her, and she was pronounced dead at 4.37am.
Dr Andrew Bamber, a paediatric consultant pathologist, stated the cause of death was a massive haemorrhage. He concluded that a large blood vessel ruptured at the site of the tonsil surgery, which had become infected.
Family's Heartbreaking Tribute and Inquest Proceedings
In a poignant pen portrait, Amber's parents remembered their daughter as the 'happiest little girl' who was 'cuddly, affectionate and very, very caring'. They said: 'Amber was and always will be our magical little princess. She lit up our home with her singing, her dancing, her laughter and her heart of gold.'
The surgeon who performed the operation, Kel Anyanwu, said he had never seen a death from a tonsillectomy in his 25-year career and described the case as 'unique'. He confirmed the consent form signed by Amber's parents did not mention the risk of death. The inquest continues as the circumstances are fully examined.
