Mother-of-two died from cyst on the brain after medics sent her home from hospital with migraine medicine three times

A 29-year-old mother of two died from a rare brain cyst after being sent home from the hospital three times with migraine medication, according to an inquest. Laura House collapsed due to complications from a colloid cyst, which led to a lack of oxygen reaching her brain, resulting in her death on July 11, 2024. Laura House visited Great Western Hospital (GWH) in Swindon three times within three days in July 2024 with worsening symptoms, including severe headaches, blurred vision, and vomiting. Her husband, Chris House, described how she was dismissed each time with instructions to rest in a dark room, despite showing signs of confusion and physical distress. On the third visit on July 9, Chris House had to carry his wife across the hospital car park because she was too weak to walk. He recounted that she vomited three times during the visit and was barely able to stand. The couple had to wait over an hour in the emergency department, during which time Laura was struggling to form coherent sentences and was often grunting instead. Chris House expressed disbelief at the medical notes indicating that junior doctor Nilesh Singh, who evaluated Laura on that evening, concluded she was “conscious, oriented and not confused.” He questioned how the doctor could reach such a conclusion given Laura’s visible distress and inability to communicate effectively. Laura had previously been in good health before experiencing severe headaches, blurred vision, and vomiting in July 2024. Doctors testified at the inquest that the hospital was dealing with a backlog of patients due to a power outage earlier that day, leading to chaos in the emergency department. Following her release from the hospital, Laura's condition worsened, and she began to show signs of confusion and difficulty breathing. By around 3 pm on July 10, she started dribbling and spitting while breathing and turned blue. Chris House performed CPR on his wife before calling an ambulance. Laura was taken to Southmead Hospital for emergency surgery, but she did not survive and died the following day from global hypoxic brain injury caused by the rare colloid cyst. She left behind her husband and their two young children, aged two and six at the time. Dr. Nilesh Singh explained that the hospital was overwhelmed with patients due to the power outage, which contributed to the delays in treatment. He stated that under normal circumstances, he would have considered a CT scan if it had been readily available. However, he acknowledged that the situation made it difficult to provide immediate diagnostic testing. Laura had been assessed at the hospital three times, first at the urgent care center on July 7 and again on the morning of July 9. Each time, she was sent home without undergoing a scan or receiving further investigation, the inquest heard. Chris House recalled feeling increasingly frustrated during each assessment as the doctors consistently diagnosed Laura with a simple migraine and advised her to rest in a dark room. He specifically remembered one instance when the doctor suggested finding a small, dark space like a cupboard for Laura to sit in to alleviate her symptoms. Laura's condition continued to decline after returning home, and she eventually required emergency medical attention. Despite efforts to save her life, she succumbed to her injuries on July 11. Her family was left to cope with the loss of a young mother and the trauma of explaining her death to their young children. The inquest continues to examine the circumstances surrounding Laura House’s death, focusing on the decisions made by medical professionals and the impact of the hospital’s operational challenges on patient care.