Mum’s Tragic Death After Shockingly Rare Reaction to CT Scan Dye Stuns Doctors

Yvonne Graham tragically lost her life following a severe allergic reaction to the contrast dye administered before her CT scan, reports indicate. The 66-year-old retired butcher suffered cardiac arrest minutes after medics at Northampton General Hospital injected the contrast medium to investigate her bloated stomach. Two hours later, she was pronounced dead, leaving her family in deep sorrow and confusion.

Yvonne’s daughter, Yolanda Graham, 39, believes that her mother should not have been given the dye due to her stage three kidney disease. She maintains that her mother would have survived if an EpiPen had been available in the scan room.

Yolanda, a hairdresser from Daventry, Northamptonshire, expressed her grief, stating: “It’s just such a shock. It doesn’t feel real. I still can’t get my head around it.” She added, “Surely they should have read her notes before injecting her – it’s just bad practice. There was no protocol. It’s ridiculous not to have an EpiPen or a crash trolley in the room”, reported the Mirror.

Yvonne had a medical history that included arthritis, asthma, and high blood pressure, for which she was taking medication. She was referred for a CT scan at 5 pm on February 1 last year to address her bloated stomach. Yvonne had been eagerly anticipating upcoming holidays and quad biking trips with her family before undergoing the scan.

Yolanda recounted the harrowing moments leading to her mother’s death: “The hospital says they went through a risk form with her just before and she signed it. But it happened in moments – I don’t see how there was enough time for them to have done that.” She described waiting outside the CT scan room and witnessing the chaos that ensued when her mother was taken inside. “I heard her make a heaving noise like she was sick, then a doctor came out and was asking me her medical history – he was writing it on his hand”, according to the Sun.

The post-mortem report revealed that Yvonne suffered an anaphylactic reaction to the contrast dye, which is routinely injected before CT scans. The report stated: “The cause of initial cardiac arrest remains unclear. The likelihood was that this was caused by anaphylaxis to contrast during the CT scan. Unfortunately, an initial tryptase level was not sent to rule out anaphylaxis (requested but not performed).”

Yolanda voiced her frustration with the NHS, saying: “I don’t know how this can just happen – you shouldn’t just die from a precautionary scan. People need to be told about the risks with this dye. It took 10 months to get a statement from them about what happened – how can it take so long? It’s disgusting. I’m fuming with them.”

The NHS UK website acknowledges that complications from CT scans are rare but notes that some individuals can experience allergic reactions to the contrast medium, leading to symptoms such as weakness, sweating, and difficulty breathing.

In a statement, Julie Hogg, chief nurse at the University Hospitals of Northamptonshire, expressed condolences to the Graham family: “We offer our sincere condolences to the family of Mrs Graham at this difficult time. We have worked with the Coroner at pace to provide all appropriate statements required of us for the forthcoming inquest.” Hogg also admitted shortcomings in communication, stating: “We acknowledge that we should have improved our communication with Mrs Graham’s family during this time, and we would like to apologise for any additional distress this may have caused them. Our team has reached out to the family to offer support ahead of the inquest and update them on the current position.”

The heartbreaking death of Yvonne Graham has raised serious concerns about the protocols surrounding the administration of contrast dyes, especially for patients with pre-existing conditions. Her family is calling for stricter safety measures and better communication to prevent such tragedies in the future.