Decision Report 202302038

Summary

C complained on behalf of their late partner (A) who died from a stroke caused by a blood clot. A was admitted to hospital with seizures after collapsing at home and sustaining a head injury. A couple of days later A was identified to have had a stroke, and they died the next day. C complained that an MRI scan was not carried out in order to verify the cause of A’s seizures (a blood clot), in a timely manner to enable acute stroke interventions.

We took independent advice from a consultant in intensive care medicine and a consultant stroke physician. We found that receiving a CT head scan when A first presented was appropriate. A working diagnosis of seizure was reasonable at that time. We found that it was reasonable that time critical acute stroke interventions were not indicated, and therefore an MRI was not indicated. A repeat CT scan did not show any significant changes from the initial scan. We noted that an MRI scan at this point would have been unlikely to have altered A’s immediate management.

C was concerned that placing A in a medically induced coma masked the progression of the stroke, however, we found that this action was in keeping with guidelines. We considered that the clinical management of A was reasonable. Therefore, we did not uphold C’s complaint.