Anaphylaxis: Senior coroner calls for national leadership and research to prevent deaths

A senior coroner has demanded action from the UK government to prevent more patients dying from anaphylaxis, after the death of a teenager following a routine tonsillectomy.Heidi Connor, senior coroner for Berkshire, has sent a regulation 28 report to prevent future deaths to Steve Barclay, health and social care secretary for England, after an inquest into the death of Alexandra Briess, 17.1Alexandra, described by the coroner as a “bright and well loved” young woman who was hoping to become a doctor, had an uneventful tonsillectomy in May 2021 but experienced postoperative bleeding and required further surgery. During anaesthesia she suddenly deteriorated and had a cardiac arrest. Investigations established that the most likely cause of her death was an anaphylactic reaction to rocuronium, a drug used in anaesthesia that she had never had before.Pointing out that there was “significant goodwill and desire to improve” among organisations involved in anaphylaxis work, Connor…
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