Mum-of-two died after 'perfect storm' of Covid and surgical accident

A mum-of-two died after a tube that was helping her breathe came loose after life-saving surgery, an inquest heard. It has led to a hospital trust implementing new procedures and training in an effort to prevent it happening again.

Melanie Coops, 50, was taken to Wythenshawe hospital on February 25 last year after contracting Covid during the height of the second wave of the pandemic. The mum was then put on a ventilator three days later to help her condition of pneumonitis which was badly affecting her lungs. The ventilator did improve her condition over the proceeding weeks.

Her condition improved to the point that doctors attempted to take her off the ventilator so she could breathe herself. However, within an hour of this Melanie 'rapidly deteriorated' and had a cardiac arrest.

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Staff were able to stabilise her and get her ventilated again. But it was decided she would need a tracheostomy - an opening created at the front of the neck so a tube can be inserted into the windpipe (trachea) to help breathing.

After this it was discovered that the Covid and lack of oxygen her organs were getting as a result of the virus had resulted in her developing bowel ischemia, which could have proved fatal if left untreated. An operation to address this took place on March 17, which is where many more problems occurred, an inquest at Manchester Coroners Court heard last week.

The major operation itself went well, according to consultant anaesthetist at Wythenshawe Hospital, Dr Alex Bojarksa, who was present at the operation. However, there was