Coroner seeks clarification on medication given to 61-year-old woman who died in Blackpool Victoria Hospital

A 61-year-old woman died in Blackpool Victoria Hospital after suffering a cardiac arrest while recovering from a laparoscopy procedure to treat paraumbilical hernia.

Erica Ellis has been admitted after initially attending the resort’s walk-in centre with abdominal pains, an inquest review at Blackpool Town Hall heard.

A post mortem showed her primary cause of death to be a pulmonary embolism due to a coronary thrombosis and secondly an ovarian obstruction which on closer examination was seen to be a blood clot obstructing blood flow to the lungs.

Blackpool and Fylde chief coroner Alan Wilson said at the review that he was requesting details of what medication levels were given to Mrs Ellis prior to the procedure to mitigate the risk of blood clots.

Levels of the necessary medication varied according to whether the patient was considered at medium or risk of clots or a medical patient and he required clarification before deciding whether or not to proceed with an inquest, provisionally set for July 21.