Thread: 7 year old. Dies after tonsils removed.

Chicoutimi, Quebec, Canada november 29th 2006
News headlines: seven year old boy dies after having his tonsils removed. Unknown cause but the coroner will be investigating!!!
The young boy was operated released from hospital the next day and was rushed back in. Extensive blood loss. A blood transfusion was performed unfortunately the child died. Something went wrong with the blood match? Coroner's report should be available next week.
Last year same happened with a 6 year old girl....and still waiting for coroner's resuls.
USA doctors are liable for their medical malpractice. In Quebec, Canada it is quite another story....no one is at fault and best case scenario privately settled claims are ridiculous. No amount of money can replace a child but the fear of lawsuit helps physicians to prevent avoidable mistakes and search for better procedures. All physicians should aim for that goal. Unfortunately laxist and negligeant medical care is frequent. It is up to the patient to make appropriate research and choose their surgeon with caution.
M. Leroy

I was taught that one of the risks that can occur in the case of tonsil removal in children is that the operative site can reopen under certain circumstances, causing hemorrhage. Massive hemorrhage can lead to DIC, which is very serious under the best of circumstances. This would have nothing to do with whether or not a transfusion was given. A transfusion mismatch could cause a hemolytic reaction, which, on top of major blood loss, would be quite dangerous. There do not appear to be enough details presented here to make even an educated guess what the cause might have been. Just a very unfortunate situation all around.

Quite right it is not possible to establish a link and it was not my purpose. However I'm not so sure that sending a child home the next day if the site can reopen is appropriate. At this point coroner did not release his report. For tonsil removal past practices were to keep the patient for 3 days now they are returned the next day. Here in our province hospital budget cuts and expediting procedures are frequent. Specialists are presently trying to negociate their salary with the health Minister Mr. Couillard and threaten to go on ''strike'' sometime in january if nothing is settled. They have not resumed conversation at this point. It may be interesting to keep posted IF the results become available.
Thanks
M. Leroy

I would like to know the results. I will put this thread on my RSS update, so if you do hear more, post it here.
P.S. - Do you know how to use the RSS feature? It lets you watch any changes or updated posts to the threads here on NoBlood or to activity on the NoBlood Wiki. Larry Eitel started an article entitled "Take a Ride on the RSS Train" that you might be interested in if you haven't already seen it. You can find it at this location: http://www.noblood.org/wiki/RSS

By the way, goudrea, WELCOME to NoBlood!

Thank you for your warm welcome. As I mentioned previously to another member I am not particularly ''technologically advanced'' as would state my son. However I have the advantage of being able to cry for help and my wonderful boy is always available... well most of the time!
Anyway I will try...and if it doesn't work maybe let you know.
As for the update on the coroner's report I will be glad to keep you posted as soon as I get more information. I can feel the grief the parents are going through. They did not realize tonsilitis could mean death..
To think we go on the moon and people still die from the flu!
Have a nice day,
M. Leroy