A newborn baby suffering from low oxygen levels and a heart defect was initially treated for a suspected respiratory problem by a paediatrician, a coroner has heard.
Thea Flaskett died at Redcliffe Hospital, north of Brisbane, at 4:17 a.m. on 11th of September 2023, just over four hours after her birth. Her parents, Meg and James Flaskett, expressed hope that the inquest will finally provide answers after waiting anxiously for two years.
Queensland Deputy State Coroner Stephanie Gallagher heard evidence from specialist doctors who either treated Thea in person or were consulted remotely. Dr. Didier Ngandu Tshamala, the on-call paediatrician who arrived at the hospital at 12:58 a.m., testified that Thea was initially suspected to have a respiratory or infectious condition.
Tshamala stated that Thea was born in good condition and stayed with her mother for the first five minutes, but shortly thereafter required intensive resuscitation. During the inquest, an autopsy revealed that Thea had an undiagnosed congenital heart condition called transposition of the great arteries, along with other contributing conditions.
Tshamala said he had considered transposition among a broad list of potential conditions but did not regard Thea’s case as high-risk, despite her birth being induced due to a low heart rate.
The neonatal retrieval service arrived at Redcliffe Hospital at 2:05 a.m., equipped with specialist equipment including an automatic ventilator. However, Thea could not be transported to a larger hospital in Brisbane because she suffered cardiac arrest.
Dr. Pieter Koorts, a senior neonatologist at the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital, testified that transposition would have been a likely diagnosis if all birth information had been available. Pre-birth ultrasounds had not detected the condition, and had it been identified, Thea would have been born at a major Brisbane hospital equipped for immediate cardiac intervention.
Koorts added that even at a tertiary hospital with a cardiologist on standby, Thea’s survival could not have been guaranteed.
The inquest is scheduled to continue in Brisbane for another four days.
