Latest news with #ManchesterUniversityNHSFoundationTrust
Daily Mirror
13-05-2025
- Health
- Daily Mirror
Mum's heart 'changed colour' after she died for 33 minutes in routine surgery
A mum who received a new heart after dying on the operating table for 33 minutes during a routine operation says her old organ had changed colour after she was kept alive with no pulse for weeks, and that once she got her new heart she felt "warm" for the first time in weeks. Kamila Jaroslawska, 35, was registered clinically dead after her heart stopped during surgery and had to be attached to a machine which acted as the organ for six weeks. Her condition was so severe she was placed at the top of the UK's super urgent heart transplant waiting list while she waited for a donor. Incredibly, a new heart was eventually found and after a complex 10 hour procedure she was given a "second chance at life". Mother of three Kamila said: 'When my heart was finally removed, it had changed colour - it had been lifeless for weeks. When I woke up after the surgery, I could hear my heartbeat again. After almost two months without a pulse it was the strangest feeling - for the first time in weeks I felt warm." Kamila, of the Wirral, Merseyside, was saved by specialist doctors from Wythenshawe Hospital, run by Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, following complications with a heart procedure. When she had her routine operation on November 8 last year, Kamila said she was "fit and healthy". The mum had lived with a minor heart condition since she was a child. She always knew she would one day need mitral valve surgery - a relatively low risk fix to replace the leaky valve. Reflecting on events before the surgery, she said: "Before the procedure I was a little worried but I was reassured that it was a minimally invasive surgery with relatively low risk." During the surgery, Kamila's heart stopped for 33 minutes and the only way doctors got it pumping again was by giving it a hand massage. Kamila said: "I'm not sure exactly what went wrong, but I do know that within half an hour after the surgery, my heart had stopped." Specialists from Wythenshawe Hospital's Heart and Lung Centre were urgently called to the health provider who were performing Kamila's procedure. She said: "The doctors saved me, but my heart was irreparably damaged. They told my family that I would need a heart transplant - and fast.' She was sedated for ten days and transported to Wythenshawe Hospital where she woke up unaware of what had happened. Doctors described her as one of the most critically ill patients in the hospital. "I was in complete shock - my brain couldn't comprehend it - my world had changed completely. It took me two weeks to understand what had gone on," Kamila explained. For weeks, Kamila was kept alive using machines that worked in place of her heart - meaning she had no pulse for weeks. Kamila spent her birthday, Christmas, and New Year 's Eve in the hospital. Five weeks later she was told a suitable heart became available for transplant. On December 19 2024 Kamila had the transplant operation that lasted ten hours as doctors had to detach her from the life-support machines keeping her alive and doctors estimate that it will take at least a year for Kamila to fully recover. Kamila said: 'I will forever be grateful to the woman and her family who chose to donate her organs. It's a strange feeling to know my life was saved because someone else died. But I carry a part of her with me, and I want to honour her by living my best life." She added: "The doctors said if I made it through the first 24 hours, it would be a huge success. My recovery has been a long and difficult journey, every new morning felt like a blessing. But healing will take time, my chest has been opened six times now, and I will carry the scars for the rest of my life." Looking ahead to her recovery, Kamila explained she had been bedridden for so long she has had to learn how to walk again as her muscles had "wasted away". She added: "Mentally, it has been just as hard as being classified as clinically dead for 33 minutes has left an impact. "They told me I must be incredibly strong both mentally and physically to have recovered so well. But I owe a lot to my family - Przemek, my fiancé, was by my side every single day, caring for our children and running our household while I fought for my life." Kamila has to visit Wythenshawe Hospital weekly for transplant monitoring and has to undergo a biopsy on her neck every two weeks for many more months. But, she vows to keep fighting, despite being "terrified of needles." "Despite the challenges, life is a celebration now," Kamila said. "Every day, my son looks at me and says, 'Oh, you're still alive?' because for so long, it seemed like I wouldn't make it. I think about my organ donor and her family every single day. "I can never thank them personally, but I hope to reach out to their family when the time is right. I received the ultimate gift - a second chance at life, I will never take it for granted."
Daily Mirror
12-05-2025
- Health
- Daily Mirror
'I died during routine op - then had no pulse for six weeks'
Kamila Jaroslawska had gone in for a minor corrective operation A mum has recounted her experience of 'dying' for 33 minutes and living without a pulse for six weeks after her heart stopped. Kamila Jaroslawska, 35, was declared clinically dead when her heart ceased beating during an operation, where she learned her heart was "irreparably damaged". She was subsequently hooked up to a device that took over the role of her heart for six weeks until a matching donor was located. Due to the critical nature of her condition, she was fast-tracked to the top of the UK's super-urgent heart transplant list. Following a gruelling 10-hour surgery, Kamila received a new heart, granting her a "second chance at life". The mother of three shared: "I had no pulse for six weeks while machines did my heart's job. When my heart was finally removed, it had changed colour - it had been lifeless for weeks. "After I came round from the operation, I could hear my heartbeat once more. It was the oddest sensation hearing it again after nearly two months without a pulse – for the first time in weeks I felt warmth." Kamila, from the Wirral, Merseyside, owes her life to the expert medical team at Wythenshawe Hospital, part of Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, who intervened following complications with a heart procedure. She described herself as "fit and healthy" prior to the surgery that occurred on November 8 last year. The mum had coped with a minor heart issue since childhood, aware that she would eventually require mitral valve surgery – a typically low-risk procedure to replace the faulty valve. Reflecting on the moments leading up to her surgery, Kamila said: "Before the procedure, I was a little worried, but I was reassured that it was a minimally invasive surgery with relatively low risk. I'm not sure exactly what went wrong, but I do know that within half an hour after the surgery, my heart had stopped." In a harrowing turn of events, Kamila's heart ceased beating for 33 minutes, and it was only through a manual hand massage that doctors were able to revive its rhythm. The emergency prompted specialists from Wythenshawe Hospital's Heart and Lung Centre to rush to the facility where Kamila's operation took place. She continued: "The doctors saved me, but my heart was irreparably damaged. They told my family that I would need a heart transplant - and fast." After being sedated for ten days, Kamila awoke at Wythenshawe Hospital, initially oblivious to the gravity of her situation. "I was in complete shock - my brain couldn't comprehend it - my world had changed completely. It took me two weeks to understand what had gone on." Kamila was classified as one of the most critically ill patients in the hospital, sustained by machines that temporarily replaced her heart's functions, leaving her without a pulse for several weeks. Her time in the hospital spanned her birthday, Christmas, and New Year's Eve. Then, after five weeks, came the life-changing news: a compatible heart had been found for her transplant. Kamila said: "I will forever be grateful to the woman and her family who chose to donate her organs. It's a strange feeling to know that my life was saved because someone else died. But I carry a part of her with me, and I want to honour her by living my best life." On December 19, 2024, Kamila underwent a ten-hour transplant operation, during which doctors had to disconnect her from the life-support machines keeping her alive. Kamila said: "The doctors said if I made it through the first 24 hours, it would be a huge success. My recovery has been a long and difficult journey, every new morning felt like a blessing. But healing will take time, my chest has been opened six times now, and I will carry the scars for the rest of my life. Having been confined to bed for an extended period, Kamila now faces the challenge of relearning how to walk. She admitted: "My muscles had wasted away - even now, I still struggle. Mentally, it has been just as hard as being classified as clinically dead for 33 minutes has left an impact. "They told me I must be incredibly strong both mentally and physically to have recovered so well. But I owe a lot to my family - Przemek, my fiancé, was by my side every single day, caring for our children and running our household while I fought for my life." Now, Kamila is required to make weekly visits to Wythenshawe Hospital for transplant monitoring and undergo a neck biopsy every two weeks, a process set to continue for many more months. Kamila opened up about the ordeal, sharing: "It's daunting especially since I'm terrified of needles - but I have no choice as I have to keep fighting. Przemek has had to stop working to care for our daughter, who has complex medical needs and requires round-the-clock care. "Her recovery is expected to span at least a year, with initial restrictions including not being able to drive for five months and limitations on her physical activities. Despite this lengthy journey to health, Kamila remains positive, commenting: "Despite the challenges, life is a celebration now. Every day, my son looks at me and says, 'Oh, you're still alive?' because for so long, it seemed like I wouldn't make it. "She also carries gratitude in her heart, stating: "I think about my organ donor and her family every single day. I can never thank them personally, but I hope to reach out to their family when the time is right."
Wales Online
12-05-2025
- Health
- Wales Online
Mum 'died' for 33 minutes and had no pulse for six weeks after op
Mum 'died' for 33 minutes and had no pulse for six weeks after op She had gone in for what was thought to be a minor corrective procedure Kamila Jaroslawska (left) with her sister-in-law Karolina (Image: Kamila Jaroslawska/SWNS ) A mum has revealed how she 'died' for 33 minutes - and had no pulse for six weeks after her heart stopped. Kamila Jaroslawska, 35, was registered clinically dead after her heart stopped during surgery, where she was told her heart was "irreparably damaged". She was then attached to a machine that acted as her heart for six weeks before she found a donor. Her condition was so severe that she was placed at the top of the UK's super-urgent heart transplant waiting list. After a complex 10-hour procedure, Kamila was successfully given a new heart and a "second chance at life". The mother of three said: 'I had no pulse for six weeks while machines did my heart's job. When my heart was finally removed, it had changed colour - it had been lifeless for weeks. 'When I woke up after the surgery, I could hear my heartbeat again. After almost two months without a pulse it was the strangest feeling - for the first time in weeks I felt warm." Kamila, of the Wirral, Merseyside, was saved by specialist doctors from Wythenshawe Hospital, run by Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, following complications with a heart procedure. She said she was "fit and healthy" before the surgery, which took place on November 8 last year. The mum had lived with a minor heart condition since she was a child. She always knew she would one day need mitral valve surgery - a relatively low-risk fix to replace the leaky valve. Article continues below Recalling the events before the surgery, she said: 'Before the procedure, I was a little worried, but I was reassured that it was a minimally invasive surgery with relatively low risk. I'm not sure exactly what went wrong, but I do know that within half an hour after the surgery, my heart had stopped.' Kamila Jaroslawska 'died' for 33 minutes and had no pulse for six weeks (Image: Kamila Jaroslawska/SWNS ) Kamila's heart stopped for 33 minutes - the only way doctors got it pumping again was by giving it a hand massage. Specialists from Wythenshawe Hospital's Heart and Lung Centre were urgently called to the health provider who was performing Kamila's procedure. She said: 'The doctors saved me, but my heart was irreparably damaged. They told my family that I would need a heart transplant - and fast.' Kamila was sedated for ten days and transported to Wythenshawe Hospital, where she woke up unaware of what had happened. 'I was in complete shock - my brain couldn't comprehend it - my world had changed completely. It took me two weeks to understand what had gone on.' Doctors described her as one of the most critically ill patients in the hospital. She was kept alive using machines that functioned in place of her heart, meaning she had no pulse for weeks. Kamila spent her birthday, Christmas and New Year's Eve in the hospital. Then, five weeks later, she was told a suitable heart had become available for transplant Kamila said: 'I will forever be grateful to the woman and her family who chose to donate her organs. It's a strange feeling to know that my life was saved because someone else died. But I carry a part of her with me, and I want to honour her by living my best life.' On December 19, 2024, Kamila had the transplant operation that lasted ten hours, as doctors had to detach her from the life-support machines keeping her alive. Kamila said: 'The doctors said if I made it through the first 24 hours, it would be a huge success. My recovery has been a long and difficult journey, every new morning felt like a blessing. But healing will take time, my chest has been opened six times now, and I will carry the scars for the rest of my life." Kamila Jaroslawska (Image: Kamila Jaroslawska/SWNS ) As Kamila had been bedridden for so long, she now has to relearn how to walk. She said: "My muscles had wasted away - even now, I still struggle. Mentally, it has been just as hard as being classified as clinically dead for 33 minutes has left an impact. 'They told me I must be incredibly strong both mentally and physically to have recovered so well. But I owe a lot to my family - Przemek, my fiancé, was by my side every single day, caring for our children and running our household while I fought for my life.' Now Kamila must visit Wythenshawe Hospital weekly for transplant monitoring and undergo a biopsy on her neck every two weeks a process that will run for many more months. Kamila said: 'It's daunting especially since I'm terrified of needles - but I have no choice as I have to keep fighting. Przemek has had to stop working to care for our daughter, who has complex medical needs and requires round-the-clock care." Doctors estimate that it will take at least a year for Kamila to fully recover. For the first five months she was told she could not drive and had limits on what she could do physically. Article continues below Kamila said: 'Despite the challenges, life is a celebration now. Every day, my son looks at me and says, 'Oh, you're still alive?' because for so long, it seemed like I wouldn't make it. 'I think about my organ donor and her family every single day. I can never thank them personally, but I hope to reach out to their family when the time is right."
New York Times
14-04-2025
- Health
- New York Times
Kevin Campbell inquest: Hospital cleared of blame for former player's death
The hospital that treated Kevin Campbell during his final months has been absolved of any blame in relation to his death despite acknowledging a 'missed opportunity' to diagnose his condition earlier. Campbell – winner of a league championship, FA Cup, League Cup and European Cup Winners' Cup during his early years at Arsenal – died from multi-organ failure on June 15 last year, aged 54, after being admitted to Manchester Royal Infirmary (MRI) for the second time that year. Advertisement His case led to Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, which manages the hospital, declaring a Level 5 patient-safety incident – the most serious category – to establish whether his death might have been avoidable with an earlier diagnosis of infective endocarditis, a rare infection in the valves or lining of the heart. However, an inquest at Manchester coroner's court on Monday was told that the hospital had downgraded that to a Level 2 report after an internal investigation had concluded that an earlier diagnosis would not have saved the former footballer. 'Kevin was so weak as a result of heart and kidney failure and weight loss that even if we had diagnosed the endocarditis on that day (of admission) I don't think his treatment would have been any different,' Robert Henney, a consultant physician for the MRI, told the inquest. 'What he actually needed was surgery … but he was so weak that was not an option. Unfortunately there was nothing else that could have been done.' The inquest was told that Campbell had not just been an elite footballer, widely known as 'Super Kev', but that he also had a societal impact as the first black footballer to captain Everton. Campbell had also played for Nottingham Forest, West Bromwich Albion, Cardiff City and Turkish club Trabzonspor, scoring 148 career goals. He was, in the words of coroner Zak Golombek, 'someone I remember watching growing up … it's been clear from the outpouring of love from fans and everyone else connected to the game he meant a lot to many people'. Campbell, who grew up in London but lived in Manchester during his final years, was admitted to hospital on January 23 last year when tests revealed 'multiple abnormalities' involving heart issues that had led to chronic kidney disease as well as liver damage and caused him to have a stroke. Advertisement He was discharged on March 8 after six weeks of dialysis, antibiotics and other treatment but his condition deteriorated again after being sent home, leading to gangrene in his toes, and he weighed only 59kg (9.3 stone) when he was readmitted on May 17. The inquest was told that Campbell had weighed 124kg (19.5 stone) before his first hospital admission. That had come down to 90kg (14.2 stone) when he was allowed to go home. He had lost more than ten stones in weight in under four months and Henney told the hearing 'the weight loss was not recognised (by hospital staff) as early as it should have been'. That, he said, was 'something we acknowledge, and something we should look into, because it may have caused questions about why the weight loss had happened and that may have triggered other investigations.' Campbell was so weak when he was re-admitted to hospital that, within five days, he was put on palliative care and his family – including his son, Tyrese, a striker for Sheffield United – were told he was not expected to survive. A fortnight later, however, there was still an element of doubt among senior personnel at the MRI about what had led to his condition and how serious it was. 'He was active, alert, conscious and talked to me a bit,' said Henney, recalling seeing him for the first time on June 4. 'It wasn't what I was expecting. It was clear to me he was very weak. But it was enough for me to ask the question whether he was dying or not. It raised questions for me about whether we were doing the right thing. Occasionally you think someone is going to die and they don't.' Further tests revealed the seriousness of Campbell's condition. Henney, however, said he remained troubled by the speed of Campbell's deterioration. 'The expectation (when he was discharged) was that he would continue to rehabilitate and get stronger. That didn't happen and I didn't really understand what had happened.' Advertisement Professor Peter Selby, the MRI's associate medical director, also gave evidence to the inquest and said the hospital had to learn from the events leading to Campbell's death, specifically in relation to tracking weight changes. 'Why was it that a man who a few months before was a picture of health had so suddenly deteriorated? One of our conclusions was that perhaps there should have been a little more curiosity about why that was the case.' Ultimately, though, the hospital's investigation concluded there was nothing that could have been done to save a man whose post-football career involving working as a television pundit. 'My feeling was that there had been two completely separate and unrelated insults to his heart in a short space of time,' said Henney, adding that Campbell was 'desperately unlucky.' An earlier hearing had been told that Campbell's family had questions about his 'delayed diagnosis' and why he was not given an echocardiogram – an ultrasound heart scan – during his first hospital admission. The family's lawyers had also requested, unsuccessfully, that the inquest should consider independent reports to avoid a scenario in which it could be argued the trust were 'marking their own homework'. At the latest hearing, however, Campbell's brother, Harold, and sister, Lorna, said via video-link they were 'happy' with the coroner's verdict that their sibling had died from natural causes. 'From a family's point of view, he was a superstar,' said Harold. 'He was very loved.' In reaching his verdict, the coroner said there had been 'clear evidence of a missed opportunity or a delay in diagnosis' of Campbell's endocarditis. 'That has been admitted by the trust,' Golombek added. 'However, it's also part of the evidence that this particular missed opportunity or delay in diagnosis would not have more than minimally contributed to Kevin's death on the balance of probabilities.'
The Independent
27-02-2025
- Health
- The Independent
Ex-footballer Kevin Campbell's family have questions on treatment, coroner told
The family of ex-footballer Kevin Campbell have questioned why his heart infection was not identified months before his death, a coroner has heard. The former Arsenal and Everton striker, 54, died at Manchester Royal Infirmary (MRI) on June 15 last year. A provisional cause of death of multi-organ failure due to a heart infection – infective endocarditis – was given at the opening of his inquest the following month. It also emerged that Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, which manages the MRI, had declared a Level 5 patient safety incident – the most serious category – about aspects of his care. On Wednesday, a pre-inquest review hearing was told that level was downgraded as a subsequent mortality review by the hospital had concluded his death was 'possibly avoidable but not very likely'. Mr Campbell was said to be fit and well until around January 2024 when he had a number of stays in hospital before his final admission to the MRI from May of that year. He was treated at the MRI for an initial six-and-half weeks before his later admission there, with a three-day stay at Salford Royal Hospital in between. Lawyer Sebastian Naughton, representing Mr Campbell's family, said the MRI's own investigation had identified 'some shortcomings' in treatment, with reference to a delay in diagnosis during his final spell at the MRI. He said the family, who were not present at the hearing at Manchester Coroner's Court, wanted to know more about his earlier stay at the MRI. He said: 'This is a medically complex inquest. Kevin was admitted for six and half weeks to Manchester Royal Infirmary in the earlier period. 'No clear underlying cause for heart failure was identified in that period. 'The family have questions about the first admission. In broad terms, how it was there was a six-and-a-half week admission and no clear cause was identified and whether there was an an earlier opportunity.' Zak Golombek, area coroner for Manchester, adjourned proceedings until a full inquest hearing which will take place on a date to be fixed. A spokesman for Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust said it does not comment on ongoing inquests. Mr Campbell scored 59 goals in 224 games for Arsenal and, alongside the 1990/91 league title, he also won the FA Cup, League Cup and European Cup Winners' Cup at Highbury. He spent three years at Nottingham Forest after joining them in 1995 and had a one-season stop at Trabzonspor in Turkey before moving to Everton in 1999. He stayed at Everton until 2005, where he spent time as captain under Walter Smith, and ended his career with spells at West Brom and Cardiff. Mr Campbell worked in the media after his playing career and was a member of the Black Footballers Partnership, which works to increase the voice and influence of black footballers.
