Brain damage claim for heart baby

A woman who says she suffered brain damage as a baby after heart treatment at Bristol Royal Infirmary 22 years ago has launched an action for damages.

Marianna Telles was transferred to Bristol after she turned blue within 24 hours of her birth in May 1985.

Her family claim her mobility and communication problems stem from five days after an operation to improve her oxygen levels, the High Court heard.

South West Strategic Health Authority denies liability.

The court heard her case centred on the management of Marianna's treatment by Janardan Dhasmana, a senior registrar in cardiac surgery, consultant cardiac surgeon James Wisheart and cardiologist Dr Stephen Jordan.

'Technical incompetence'

The two-day-old underwent a shunt operation to try to improve her oxygen levels, and had hormone treatment, which had a similar aim, discontinued.

Ms Telle's counsel, Simeon Maskrey QC, said that their case was that the operation performed by Mr Dhasmana failed as a consequence of "technical incompetence" on his part.

He also said that in the post-operative period, it should have been evident to staff at the hospital, once the hormone treatment stopped, that the shunt was not providing sufficient oxygen blood flow.

He argued that staff should have restarted the hormone treatment sooner.

It was also his case that another operation, carried out by Mr Wisheart in March 1986, led to a further neurological insult which contributed, although not to a large extent, to Marianna's disabilities.

The hearing is expected to last seven days.