Sick Kids takes blame

Teen's tragic death

By BRIAN GRAY, TORONTO SUN   A "failure" in care at The Hospital for Sick Children resulted in the September death of a 17-year-old girl, the hospital admitted yesterday.

Sanchia Bulgin died six hours after elective surgery to remove her gall bladder.

Dr. Alan Goldbloom, Sick Kids' senior vice president for clinical and academic affairs, said the hospital has accepted responsibility after conducting a review of staff procedure leading up to Bulgin's death.

"There were probably several things (that went wrong), none of which alone might have been enough but in combination seem to be a problem," Goldbloom said.

CORONER'S INQUEST

"So when something like this occurs it's a lapse, it's a failure with unfortunately tragic consequences."

Bulgin, who suffered from sickle cell anemia, died Sept. 14 in the same post-surgery ward that was the subject of a coroner's inquest after 10-year-old Lisa Shore died there in October 1998.

The review, conducted by hospital officials, found there was probably not adequate communication among the staff, Goldbloom said.

INTERNAL BLEEDING

Monitoring after the operation failed to notice that Bulgin was succumbing to complications caused by undetected internal bleeding.

Bulgin's family has retained Frank Gomberg, the same lawyer who represented the Shore family.

Last May, the Shore inquest found the cause of her death was a "homicide," although the jury can't assign any blame.

Gomberg said Sick Kids will "pay (Bulgin's) parents damages for having been so negligent ..."

Goldbloom said the admission was made fully understanding the future legal implications.

"This is not something we can walk away from and right from the beginning we have indicated to the family -- in addition to our regret -- the fact that we accept responsibility," he said.