Baby's death a 'cascade of errors', medical council hears (From Epsom Guardian)

Baby's death a 'cascade of errors', medical council hears

3:04pm Monday 21st April 2008

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A cascade of incompetence and errors made by a doctor led to the death of a baby girl shortly after birth, a hearing heard today.p>

Dr Vladan Visnjevac fled to Bosnia after being charged with manslaughter following the death of Hollie Dinning at St Peter's Hospital, Chertsey, in June 2002.

"But for incompetence and excessive force, the baby would have been delivered healthy and normal."

Stephen Brassington

Still in hiding in his home city of Sarajevo in Bosnia, Dr Visnjevac was absent from his General Medical Council (GMC) Fitness to Practice hearing, which started this morning.

He was the senior registrar on call the night of May 24, 2002, when Tracey Dinning was admitted to hospital 37 weeks' pregnant.

But Dr Visnjevac proceeded to attempt to deliver the baby four times using forceps, using "excessive force", the GMC panel heard.

Such was the force, Mrs Dinning's mother described the scene as "like a calf being delivered" while other family members had to stop Mrs Dinning being pulled off the bed.

Prosecutor Stephen Brassington described how the forcep blades had been placed asymmetrically, and together with the force, resulted in massive head injuries to the baby, who died hours after being delivered.

He said: "But for incompetence and excessive force, the baby would have been delivered healthy and normal.

"Some deaths are caused by one mistake - this death came about from a cascade of sub-standard and unacceptable decisions and actions by Dr Visnjevac each one following the other."

The baby's father, Jim Dinnington, had previously lost his former partner and child during childbirth at St Peter's Hospital in 2000.

Surrey Police said they had been trying to extradite Dr Visnjevac but had encountered problems with Bosnian authorities.

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