Baby dies, another left brain damaged in oxygen mix-up at Bankstown-Lidcombe Hospital

THE mother of the baby who died after being given a dose of nitrogen gas instead of oxygen at Bankstown-Lidcombe Hospital said she woke up from anaesthetic after a caesarean to find her baby son was dead.

A NEWBORN baby has died and another has been left brain damaged after they were given doses of nitrogen gas instead of oxygen in a “devastating error” at the Bankstown-Lidcombe Hospital.

The fatal mix-up occurred in one of the hospital’s birthing rooms when an outlet in neonatal resuscitation unit emitted nitrous oxide — commonly known as happy gas.

Doctors had instructed “oxygen” be given to the babies, born in June and mid-July, to help them cope after struggling through delivery.

The deadly mistake was only realised last Thursday after paediatrician raised the alarm after the second baby died.

The family of the baby who died has told The Australian they didn’t find out until a week later what happened to the newborn boy.

Youssef and Sonya Ghanem lost their newborn son after a fatal error at Bankstown-Lidcombe Hospital. Picture: Facebook

Sonya and Youssef Ghanem — whose other three children were born at the same hospital — had their baby boy on Wednesday, July 13.

Mrs Youssef told the Nine Network she had gone to the hospital for what she expected would be a routine childbirth when she was told she needed a caesarean section.

When she woke up from the anaesthetic, a nurse told her that her baby son was dead.

“I held my baby ... just looking at him, shaking my son. `Wake up’, I would tell him, `wake up, wake up. What have they done to you’,” Mrs Youssef said.

The child, named John, was buried on July 21.

The family said it was told about the gas tank mix-up on Saturday.

The baby’s older sister Chantal said the hospital contacted them a week later saying “there’s some new information about the care your baby was given”, which was when they found out about the gas mix-up.

“They admitted it,” Ms Ghanem said.

“They said ‘it’s basically our fault’. I lost it when they said that. I just wanted to kill them.

“I am just so angry that an innocent life is gone due to something that should have never happened.”

Youssef and Sonya Ghanem are devastated over the loss of their baby. Picture: Facebook

The other newborn is still fighting for life and remains in a critical condition at hospital.

Health minister Jillian Skinner described it as a “devastating error” and said she was “profoundly sorry” to the grief-stricken families. As her department launched a full-scale investigation, she said: “I reassure the public of the safety of Bankstown-Lidcombe Hospital and hospitals across NSW.”

“Bankstown-Lidcombe Hospital has checked all eight operating theatres and found an installation fault in only one theatre,” said Ms Skinner adding:

“It has been corrected but that theatre remains closed.”

“devastating error” ... Health Minister Jillian Skinner said she was “profoundly sorry” to the grief-stricken families

She said the oxygen outlet had been certified by BOC Limited in July, 2015.

Opposition health spokesman Walt Secord last night described the deadly bungle as ‘every parent’s worst nightmare”.

“It is astounding and shocking,” Mr Secord said. “There has to an independent, external investigation, separate from that conducted by the Department of Health. Mr Secord said the findings of that independent inquiry must be released to the public.

Opposition health spokesman Walt Secord has described the deadly bungle as ‘every parent’s worst nightmare”.

Government sources claimed information on the bungle had not been released yet because the families had wanted more time before the issue became public.

An “exhaustive investigation” had found no other babies than the pair had been affected despite the bungle not having been identified for weeks.

South Western Sydney Local Health District is conducting a formal investigation to determine if Bankstown-Lidcombe Hospital staff followed protocols which may have detected the installation error last year.

Secretary of NSW Health Elizabeth Koff has advised the state’s 15 Local Health Districts and two specialty networks have urgently reviewed their protocols for ensuring medical gas outlets are correctly installed and verified in compliance with the Australian standards.

Mr Secord said: “It can’t just go to the Minister and be covered up.”

On its website BOC states that it sells “medical nitrous oxide” and “medical oxygen” to healthcare facilities.

Fatal mix-up led to the death of a newborn boy at Bankstown-Lidcombe Hospital.

Nitrous oxide is commonly known as laughing gas. The colourless gas is commonly used for sedation and pain relief, often used by dentists and medical professionals to sedate patients undergoing minor medical procedures.

BOC, states that the nitrous oxide (n20) it sells is used as an anaesthetic and analgesic agent.

The Australian Drug Foundation, on its website, warns that if a large amount of nitrous oxide is inhaled it can result in a loss of blood pressure, fainting and heart attacks.

“This government has the tendency to commission reports and then not release them

and show what the report actually reveals.”

Mr Secord said the incident was a sign of the enormous pressure that the NSW health system is under.

“This is the human cost of cuts to the health system.

“When you tear $3 billion out of the health budget, staff are under pressure and mistakes happen.”

The Australian Medical Association (AMA) has expressed its sympathies to the families of the babies.

AMA NSW president Prof Brad Frankum said in a statement on Tuesday morning: “The families of both of these babies have my deepest sympathies — as do all the staff working at the hospital.

“This is a terrible tragedy and AMA (NSW) supports the investigation into these incidents.”